Visions of Arabia

© David Hobcote/Rex Features The slump in Dubai's once-booming construction sector has hit the wider economy in the emirate

Can the Middle East help pull the aerospace industry from its malaise? This year's Dubai air show takes place against a very different backdrop from the runaway economic growth of two years ago. But despite Dubai's financial problems, buoyant oil and gas revenues have fuelled the ambitions of Abu Dhabi and Qatar to create global carriers and the region to bolster its defence capabilities. In this special, we assess the fortunes of the region's airlines and business aviation community, as well as whether big state-led projects will create an aerospace infrastructure in the Gulf. We visit Jordan - short of natural resources but with an aviation industry built on its reputation as a regional commercial crossroads. We also see how government warchests make the Middle East a key target for defence aviation manufacturers.

• Overview and show preview: Middle East sets course for economic recovery
• Business aviation bounces back: Joining the new jet set
• Dubai's expanding airports: The sky's the limit
• Jordan aims high: Oasis of enterprise
• Royal Jordanian's strategy: Linking the Levant
• A low-cost spy in the sky: Security on a budget
• Training the region: Alya Aviation Academy takes off at Aqba
• Gulf's ambitious network carriers: Flying the flags
• Budget carriers cause a ripple: Low-cost challenge
• Bahrain and Oman fly solo: Out of the shadows
• UAE stockpiles weapon systems: Building an arsenal
• Saudi Arabia's military muscle: Robust Riyadh
• Iraq gathers arms for 2012: Starting from scratch
• NATO-like coalition takes shape: Fractious friends
• US aid for Israel's neighbours: Border security

• All the latest news, images and video from the Dubai Air Show