The Saudi General Authority for Military Industries has inked 11 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding with several international defense companies during a defense exhibition in the kingdom.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, these agreements aim to “localize the defense manufacturing system, enhance military readiness, and boost industrial participation.” Additionally, they include provisions for training and qualifying national personnel in the defense sector.
The agreements, as reported by the same source, cover various crucial areas that strengthen the qualitative capabilities in targeted fields such as technology transfer, establishing local production lines, and continuing to train and qualify the national workforce in the sector.
According to the Saudi Arabian General Authority for Military Industries, these agreements contribute to achieving the strategic goals of the kingdom’s defense industries. They aim to localize 50% of spending on military equipment and services by 2030, in line with the “Vision 2030” goals.
In a related context, Lockheed Martin, the American weapons manufacturer, announced on Monday that it had signed contracts with Saudi companies to manufacture components of the THAAD missile defense system.
Lockheed stated that these contracts would enhance manufacturing capabilities and knowledge transfer, supporting the defense industry in Saudi Arabia.
On the Italian front, the Leonardo Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Riyadh to explore and develop potential investment and cooperation opportunities in the defense and aerospace sectors.
The defense group’s statement noted that the memorandum of understanding covers a wide range of sectors, including space, helicopters, electronic systems, and sensing devices.
It also hinted that the cooperation could extend to include areas such as air combat systems and integration between various systems, as the state-controlled group is active in next-generation technology initiatives and allows for experimental projects.
The memorandum of understanding reinforces Leonardo’s ongoing activities in the profitable Saudi market, where it has been supplying platforms, systems, technologies, and services for decades, according to Reuters.
