Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed an agreement and two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to localize the drone industry and its component systems within the Kingdom.
A number of Saudi companies specialized in military and defence industries and Turkish defence companies inked the deals under the patronage of Minister of Defence, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
They are an extension of the two acquisition contracts signed by the Defence Ministry two weeks ago with Turkish defence company “Baykar” to raise the readiness of the armed forces and enhance the Kingdom’s defence and manufacturing capabilities.
The contract focuses on the manufacturing of electronic systems, mechanical components, and drone structures using composite materials, as well as encompassing manufacturing, final aviation testing, and the provision of training and support services.
In addition, the Saudi National Company for Mechanical Systems (NCMS) penned an MoU with Roketsan and Aselsan, two leading Turkish defence companies, to localize the production of ammunition and optical sensors for drones in the Kingdom.
Assistant Minister of Defence for Executive Affairs, Khalid bin Hussein Al-Bayari, highlighted the wise leadership’s keen interest and support in localizing military industries and enhancing manufacturing and defence capabilities in the Kingdom.
This aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s target of localizing over 50% of total military spending.
