SCOPA Industries, the Saudi defense company, and Airbus have recently entered into a partnership to jointly manufacture civil and military helicopters in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement was made during a Saudi-French investment forum held in France, coinciding with the visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The collaboration between SCOPA and Airbus aims to establish production facilities in Saudi Arabia, with the first helicopters expected to be manufactured within 24 months after the World Defense Show in February of next year. SCOPA CEO Fawaz Alakeel stated that this event would mark the foundation of the project.
According to Alakeel, the collaboration is anticipated to result in the production of over 100 helicopters, contributing to the creation of approximately 8,500 job opportunities in the kingdom.
While further details were not provided, he mentioned that the project’s investments are expected to exceed 25 billion riyals ($6.67 billion) over a span of 20 years.
The collaboration between SCOPA Industries and Airbus signifies a significant step toward enhancing the domestic production capabilities of Saudi Arabia in the field of helicopters, while also fostering economic growth and job creation in the kingdom.
