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  • Energy Secretary Rick Perry Confirms KSA One of 16 Countries Approved for Unclassified Civil Nuclear Technology
     

    The Trump administration has approved seven applications for U.S. companies to sell nuclear power technology and assistance to Saudi Arabia, but did not reveal the particular companies or specifics of those authorizations, the Energy Department said Thursday. Energy Secretary Rick Perry told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the seven applications approved were among 37 […]

     
  • General Abizaid Faces Tough Questions from U.S. Senators in Confirmation Hearing
     

    President Trump’s choice for the next U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia faced tough questions from U.S. senators but defended the U.S.-Saudi relationship on Wednesday and said the United States needed “a strong and mature partnership with Saudi Arabia.” Retired General John Abizaid’s confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was the first of this session […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia Names New Ambassador to United States: Princess Reema bint Bandar
     

    Saudi Arabia has named Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the 11th Saudi Ambassador to the United States, making her the first woman ever to serve in the role. Princess Reema will take over the role from Prince Khalid bin Salman, who has been appointed as the country’s deputy defense […]

     
  • Looking East, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Arrives in Pakistan
     

    Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Pakistan on Sunday for the start of a tour of several Asian nations as the Kingdom looks eastward to strengthen trade relationships and business opportunities. As is usually the case for the highest Saudi royal leaders on state visits, the Crown Prince traveled with a sizable entourage […]

     
  • Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Visit Pakistan on Saturday, Announce $20b in Deals
     

    Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to make his first state visit to Pakistan on Saturday, where he will announce investment projects worth up to $20 billion, a senior official told VOA news. The investment is needed for Pakistan, which is cash-strapped and facing multiple regional political challenges with a recently-elected Prime Minister. […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia’s Collections from VAT Double Expectations in 2018; Foreign Investment Rebounds
     

    Foreign investment into the Kingdom and VAT collections both more than doubled in 2018 over the previous year, government officials revealed this week as information regarding the Kingdom’s 2019 budget are published. Reuters reports that the Kingdom saw a rebound in foreign investment into Saudi Arabia in 2018 to 13 billion riyals ($3.5 billion), more than […]

     
  • Breakthrough Ceasefire Agreements Reached over Yemen Ports as U.S. Senate Rebukes Trump
     

    The internationally recognized Yemeni government and the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement agreed to a ceasefire around the city of Hodeidah and to remove troops from the area in a potential major turning point for the three year old conflict, according to reports. The agreement was reached at U.N.-brokered talks in Sweden. The port, which is currently under Houthi control, […]

     
  • Significant Step Taken in U.S.-Saudi THAAD Missile Deal
     

    A personal call between President Donald Trump and King Salman Saudi Arabia helped to finalize an agreement in which the Kingdom will buy Lockheed Martin’s $15 billion THAAD missile defense system, according to reports. The U.S. State Department said the Saudis and U.S. officials signed letters of offer and acceptance documents on Monday, formalizing terms for Saudi’s […]

     
  • Severe Weather, Rains Across Saudi Arabia Kill 14
     

    Damaging rains and floods have killed 14 people in Saudi Arabia in recent days as officials say the weather across the Kingdom this year has been among the most severe in decades. The heavy rain has affected 13 areas of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Since Oct. 19, the Command and Guidance Center in […]

     
  • Sec. Mattis, Saudi FM Al-Jubeir Meet; U.S. Calls for ‘Transparent Investigation’
     

    U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday that he has met with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel Al-Jubeir, and called for a “transparent investigation” into the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, according to reports. Mattis said he met Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir during a conference in Bahrain on Saturday and discussed […]

     

MUST-READS

  • Defense Official Says U.S. Remains Committed to Middle East

    With over 30,000 troops in the Middle East at multiple locations, the United States' commitment to the Middle East hasn't changed — despite the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and its significant drawdown in Iraq, said the deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East.

  • CENTCOM Commander Thanks Saudi Chief of Defense for Supporting the Evacuation of American Citizens from Sudan

    Today, the commander of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, called the Royal Saudi Chief of General Staff, Gen. Fayyadh Al Ruwaili, to thank him and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its support in evacuating American citizens from Sudan amidst the conflict there. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Royal Saudi Armed Forces provide access, basing, and overflights, as well as resources to evacuate hundreds of American citizens. This support allowed the movement of these Americans from Sudan to safety in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

  • Targeted Acquisitions, Major Commissions: The UAE’s Dual Approach to the Naval Defense Sector

    The UAE has sought to enhance its naval might and secure its fast-expanding networks of ports and logistics infrastructure to match its evolving strategic and commercial ambitions, in the Middle East and beyond.

  • IDEX 2023: UAE’s Defense Contracts Emphasizes Local Production

    IDEX 2023 is the first edition where the UAE armed forces have awarded a majority of contracts to domestic companies and exhibited Abu Dhabi’s mature approach by emphasizing support platforms, services, and ammunitions, rather than more visible combat platforms.

  • How to Advance US-Saudi Defense Cooperation

    Each side has a responsibility for making this work. Leadership in Washington must authorize and enable U.S. Central Command to create a more comprehensive menu and consistent tempo of joint operations and training activities with the Saudi military. Riyadh should get more serious about recruiting and empowering male and female officers, soldiers, sailors, and airmen that would form the nucleus of the Saudi military, along with a companion plan to sustain that effort. Saudi Arabia is fortunate to have one of the youngest workforces in the world. Drawing upon that talent pool for military development should be a priority.

  • Defense sector needs local supply chain to ensure reliability, says SAMI CEO  

    “Vision 2030 is not a vision anymore. It is a reality, and it is happening. Vision 2030 taught us that nothing is impossible. Though the defense industry has not been established in the past, I think the way forward is extremely optimistic and positive, and we will make things happen,” he concluded. Earlier in February, during an interview with Arab News, Abukhaled said that SAMI has hired some of the best local talents, along with international experts who have first-hand knowledge about the defense sector. He pointed out that this played a crucial role in determining the company's success in a very short period.

  • Improving Gulf security: A framework to enhance air, missile, and maritime defenses

    This report is the final product of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative‘s Gulf Security Task Force, a team of experts whose US government experience includes senior roles at the Department of Defense, Department of State, White House, and Intelligence Community. The Task Force joined together to shape this new strategy, with an eye on sustainable success in protecting both US and allies in the Gulf.

  • Commentary: President Biden’s proposed budget for national security and defense is more than $1 trillion—an all-time high.

    But look on Page 166 of the White House Office of Management and Budget’s summary and you’ll see a category called “Security,” which includes the DOD and the DOE’s nukes account, plus the budgets for Veterans Affairs, certain aspects of foreign aid, and the Intelligence Community Management account (which funds coordination among the intelligence agencies)—and that adds up to $1.014 trillion, a 3.6 percent hike from the current budget’s $979.3 billion.*

  • Pakistan’s Economic Woes Drive Defense Diplomacy With Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia’s reticence may in part be explained by a recent decision to stop giving unconditional direct grants or deposits to allied states and instead work alongside multilateral institutions to help these countries implement fiscal reforms. This suggests that Pakistan’s days of receiving no-strings-attached financial bailouts are over and personal ties between ruling cadres on both sides won’t factor into decision making regarding assistance any longer.

  • Saudi defense sector celebrates 70 years of growth at IDEX 2023

    With 100% foreign investment ownership now allowed, Saudi Arabia's defense sector is becoming ever more attractive as the country positions itself as an ideal investment destination for defense industrialization ecosystem. The number of GAMI licensed companies soared by 78% in 2022 and reached 192 while 342 new establishment permits and military industrial licenses were also issued. These licenses are associated with a projected investment volume over the next 5 years of USD 11.47 billion as of end of 2022.