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  • MODON, GAMI Ink Deal to Promote Investments in Saudi Arabia’s Defense Sector
     

    A new strategic cooperation between the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) and the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) aims to encourage the localization of military industries in the Kingdom, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The new cooperation “supports the localization of 50 percent of the expenditure in military industries through […]

     
  • Peace Agreements, Reports of Talks a Positive Sign for Yemen’s Ongoing War
     

    Recent agreements and reports of indirect talks between warring sides in Yemen’s ongoing civil war indicate a trend toward bringing an end to the four year old conflict fought to restore the U.N.-recognized Hadi government to power after it was overthrown by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Last week, Yemen’s Saudi-backed government signed an agreement with southern separatists on […]

     
  • Defense Secretary Esper in Riyadh for Surprise Visit; Kushner, Mnuchin to attend Future Investment Initiative
     

    Secretary of Defense Mark Esper arrived Monday in Saudi Arabia for an unannounced visit as the U.S. and Saudi Arabia seek to bolster their joint defense in the face of rising regional tensions. Secretary Esper met with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman in Riyadh, photos show, and Esper said he discussed the deployment of U.S. forces and […]

     
  • U.S., Saudi Officials Discuss Regional Security and Military Cooperation
     

    Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister said on Thursday he discussed “regional security and military cooperation” with senior U.S. government officials, Reuters reports. Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, who previously served as Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States, met separately with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Deputy […]

     
  • Pompeo Calls Strikes an ‘Act of War’ as he Visits Saudi Arabia, Meets with Crown Prince
     

    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called the recent attacks against Saudi oil facilities an “act of war” by Iran, and met Wednesday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah. The recent attacks “didn’t come from the Houthis,” Pompeo said Wednesday in remarks to reporters. “This was an Iranian attack…we’re blessed that there were no Americans killed […]

     
  • Trump says he does not want war with Iran, but says Tehran ‘likely’ behind attacks
     

    President Donald Trump said on Monday it looked like Iran was behind attacks on oil plants in Saudi Arabia but stressed he did not want to go to war, according to reports, as the world watches how the Kingdom and its allies may respond to Saturday’s strikes. “It’s certainly looking that way at this moment,” Trump […]

     
  • Secretary Pompeo, Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Meet in Washington
     

    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met in Washington D.C. yesterday to discuss the ongoing war in Yemen and other U.S.-Saudi defense related topics. “On Yemen, the Secretary reiterated U.S. support for a negotiated resolution between the Republic of Yemen government and the Southern Transitional Council, and thanked […]

     
  • UAE’s Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Visits Jeddah, Mecca for Meetings with Top Officials
     

    The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrived in Jeddah today for talks with Saudi Arabia’s top leaders, according to reports. The Crown Prince was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah by Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Defense and former Saudi Ambassador to […]

     
  • Senate Fails to Override Trump’s Veto of Saudi and UAE Defense Sale Bans
     

    The U.S. Senate failed to override President Donald Trump’s vetoes of legislation passed by Congress that would have blocked the sales of certain weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, meaning the transactions may proceed forward. Supporters of the ban won a voice vote of 45-40 in the Senate, roughly 21 votes short of […]

     
  • Kingdom Gears Up for 2019 Hajj Season
     

    Saudi Arabia is finalizing preparations for the 2019 Hajj Pilgrimage season, set to begin on Friday August 9th. Hosting the Hajj presents a number of major logistical, security, and health challenges for which Saudi authorities must prepare. The sheer number of pilgrims arriving each year is staggering. In both 2017 and 2018, over 2.3 million pilgrims […]

     

MUST-READS

  • Defense spending isn’t what’s driving the US economy

    In the last year, the US has significantly increased purchases of aircraft, missiles, ammunition, and other equipment, according to figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The biggest growth in military spending hasn’t come from equipment purchases, but from the cost of supporting US personnel, as service members have been deployed to Europe to reinforce the US commitment to the NATO alliance; those costs had been falling since the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.

  • In Washington, Saudi defense minister stresses need for ‘immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza

    Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during a meeting with a senior US official on Monday. The call comes as the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave deteriorates as Israel conducts a large military campaign against Hamas. Meeting Jake Sullivan, the US national security advisor, Prince Khalid reaffirmed the Kingdom’s call to bring the fighting to a halt.

  • Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Meeting with Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud

    He confirmed President Biden’s commitment to support the defense of U.S. partners against threats from state and non-state actors, including those backed by Iran.  On Yemen, Mr. Sullivan welcomed the significant de-escalation of the conflict over the past year and a half and endorsed Saudi-led efforts to bring the war to a close altogether.

  • Sullivan told Saudi defense minister US will support defense of its partners – White House

    U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday met with Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and confirmed President Joe Biden’s commitment to support the defense of U.S. partners against threats from state and non-state actors, including those backed by Iran, the White House said.

    The two men also affirmed the importance of deterring any expansion of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the White House said.

  • Saudi defense minister to meet top US officials in DC amid ongoing Israel-Hamas war

    He is expected to meet top Biden administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Prince Khalid will also likely meet National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and White House’s Middle East policy chief, Brett McGurk. His visit takes place amid increased violence and tensions in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Israel said Saturday its war on Hamas had “entered a new phase” with its massive bombardment of the besieged enclave.

  • Saudi Arabia in talks with South Korea for air defense system buy

    One of the key defense systems under consideration is Korea’s Cheongung-II surface-to-air missile defense system, designed to intercept air strikes, particularly those launched by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels. During Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit to Seoul in November, he expressed interest in the Cheongung-II system, a sentiment shared by Saudi Arabian Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman during his visit to South Korea in March.

  • US, Saudi Defense Chiefs Discuss Middle East

    Austin spoke by telephone with his Saudi counterpart about the two nations’ security partnership and the situation in the Middle East, according to a readout. Austin also discussed developments in the Middle East with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in separate calls.

  • Saudi military authority unveils 10 investment opportunities in defense sector

    In a major move to boost Saudi Arabia’s defense sector, the Kingdom’s General Authority for Military Industries has unveiled a series of investment opportunities in the military industries sector. GAMI’s strategic expansion includes an initial offering of 10 investment prospects with applications in both military and civilian domains. The announcement was jointly made by GAMI and the Invest in Saudi Arabia initiative, in collaboration with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Investment, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.

  • Saudi Defense Sector Makes Strides in Air Power

    During the IDEF arms exhibition in Istanbul in late July, Saudi autonomous system maker Intra Defense Technologies signed a licensing agreement with Turkish aerospace company ESEN granting the latter manufacturing and selling rights for the Saudi-designed ASEF-I unmanned aerial vehicle. In early August, Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, signed a localization agreement with Turkish drone company Baykar to manufacture its advanced drones in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh made headlines again in mid-August by expressing interest in becoming a full partner in the Global Combat Air Programme, a British-Italian-Japanese initiative to develop a sixth-generation fighter aircraft. The considerable scale and accelerating pace of Saudi aerospace deals underscore air power’s integral role in shaping Saudi military doctrine and economic planning.

  • Biden Aides and Saudis Explore Defense Treaty Modeled After Asian Pacts

    Under such an agreement, the United States and Saudi Arabia would generally pledge to provide military support if the other country is attacked in the region or on Saudi territory. The discussions to model the terms after the treaties in East Asia, considered among the strongest the United States has outside of its European pacts, have not been previously reported.