Defensive products are displayed at an exhibition area of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, Feb. 21, 2019. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) awarded 104 defense contracts worth 20 billion dirhams (5.45 billion U.S. dollars) during the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2019) ending on Thursday. (Xinhua/Mohamad Badreddine)

DUBAI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) awarded 104 defense contracts worth 20 billion dirhams (5.45 billion U.S. dollars) during the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2019) ending on Thursday.

UAE companies received 35 percent of the deals while the rest went to foreign firms. These companies are required to provide fire arms, training and logistic supplies for the UAE armed forces, state-run WAM news agency reported late on Thursday.

The biggest contract, worth 5.7 billion dirhams, was awarded to the U.S. company Raytheon, which will provide rocket launchers for the Patriot missile system of the UAE Air Force.

About 124,000 people visited this year's defense gala held in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, while 70 percent of the IDEX 2021 stands and pavilions have already been booked, organizers said.

The five-day defense exhibition, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, attracted 1,310 local and international companies in defense, security, transport, communications and other fields.