The ninth edition of IDEX took place in February 2009, lasting for five days at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Center. The host, the UAE, signed contracts totaling $4.6 billion, making it a major buyer at the event.
According to statistics released by the organizers, the 2009 edition of IDEX attracted about 50,000 visitors. Despite the global financial crisis, the exhibition still drew 897 companies from 50 countries, including the United States, France, Russia, Germany, and China. Alexander de Juniac, Executive Vice President of the French defense company Thales, noted during the exhibition that the global financial crisis had limited impact on the defense industry.
The UAE signed contracts worth $4.6 billion at the exhibition, purchasing 48 Italian M346 trainer aircraft, multiple American transport aircraft, and military equipment from Germany and Switzerland, among other items. The UAE emphasized that the contracts also included orders for procurement from local companies.
As a defense exhibition primarily focused on land warfare equipment, artillery was naturally a key focus. The Chinese delegation showcased a large number of rocket artillery pieces. The latest SR-5 long-range rocket artillery system integrates both 122mm and 300mm caliber rockets, ensuring more flexible and effective striking capabilities in any combat environment. Most of China's large-caliber rocket artillery can launch guided rockets and even possess precise strike capabilities. Many models can launch both missiles and rockets from the same platform, breaking the traditional concept of rocket artillery. In terms of quantity, the number of new Chinese rocket artillery pieces is almost equivalent to the total number of rocket artillery models under development in other major countries. The domestically produced GS1 155mm guided artillery shell reportedly matches the performance of the American "Excalibur" guided artillery shell. Compared to previously displayed export-oriented laser-guided artillery shells, this shell can be launched and forgotten, with a longer range. Additionally, Chinese companies exhibited competitive products such as wheeled rapid assault vehicles, CS/VP3 anti-ambush vehicles, phased-array battlefield artillery position reconnaissance and location radar, 105mm vehicle-mounted howitzers, and drones.