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  • Saudi Ministry of Defense to hold air, naval shows to mark 93rd National Day

    Saudi Arabia’s Armed Forces will participate in various activities to mark the Kingdom’s 93rd National Day, including aerial and marine shows in several regions across the nation, the Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday. Different types of Royal Saudi Air Force jets, including Typhoons, F-15s, and Tornados, will perform in 13 cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Damman, Jouf, Jubail, Al-Ahsa, Taif, Al-Baha, Tabuk, Abha, Khamis Mushait, and Alkhobar. The Saudi Hawks Aerobatic Team will also execute formations and aerial displays in the skies of several cities in the Kingdom in celebration of National Day, which falls on Sept. 23.

  • Saudi Arabia executes two defense employees on charges of treason

    The duo reportedly committed numerous military felonies, after which they were arrested in September 2017, according to the SPA report. After an investigation into the offenses, al-Balawi was convicted of military treason and of not preserving the interests of the nation and the honor of its military service. Investigation into al-Azouni resulted in him being convicted of committing treason in three forms - high, national, and military – in addition to being charged for not preserving the interests of the nation and the honor of its military service.

  • International companies racing to expand their investments in 2nd Saudi World Defense Show

    Several leading Saudi, regional and international companies are showing massive interest to expand their investments through participating in the second edition of the World Defense Show (WDS) which will be held in February 2024 in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The exhibitors were quick to reserve 93 percent of the exhibition space, estimated at about 47,000 square meters, that is, five months before the scheduled commencement of the leading global defense and security event. The WDS serves one of the pillars of Vision 2030, achieving the Kingdom’s goal to localize 50 percent of its military equipment spending by 2030.

  • Israel’s Defense Minister Asks U.S. for Clarifications on Saudi Nuclear Program Amid Normalization Talks

    In a meeting in New York, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant questioned senior Biden administration officials on Riyadh's demands to Washington as part of the normalization talks, and stressed that Israel will need guarantees on the future of its military edge in the region.

  • Any Saudi-Israeli normalization requires clearing major security, defense roadblocks: Experts

    “I think it’s important to acknowledge that there doesn’t appear to be much ‘on the way’ other than an agreement to pursue an agreement,” Jonathan Lord, director of the Middle East security program at the Center for a New American Security, told Breaking Defense. “It’s been reported that to move forward, Riyadh is seeking security guarantees from Washington, along with the ability to purchase advanced weapons systems and to receive them in a timely fashion, and finally, a civilian nuclear energy program. This is a tall order, but may not be insurmountable if the administration can engage Congress proactively.”

  • Ukraine gets two IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany -Zelenskiy

    Ukraine has received two IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his address on Thursday. "Two new IRIS-T launchers have been delivered to Ukraine. This is a powerful and much-needed air defense system," he said and thanked Germany for supplying the weapons.

  • Saudi, Iranian defense officials meet in Moscow

    Senior defense officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran met on Wednesday on the sidelines of a security conference in Russia. Talal Al Otaibi, an aide to the Saudi defense minister, met with Aziz Nasirzadeh, the deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, during the sidelines of the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security, according to a post by the Saudi defense ministry on the social media platform X.

  • Baykar CEO hopes massive Saudi deal paves path for Turkish defense firms in KSA

    Already, Bayraktar’s firm is moving to add new ties to KSA. On Aug. 6, Baykar signed localization agreements with Saudi Arabia Military Industries (SAMI) and the Saudi National Company for Mechanical Systems (NCMS). As part of that, Turkish firms Roketsan and Aselsan also signed independent deals with KSA to provide ammunition and optical sensors for the Akinci.

  • Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI): Fueling the Growth of Saudi Defense Industry

    Only six years after its establishment, SAMI claims to have a backlog of over $10 billion in contracts, and its CEO announced reaching a localization percentage of close to 15%. In 2020, SAMI’s annual revenue was a mere $20 million, which then increased to $690 million in 2021. A few months later, in March 2022, SAMI captured more than half of the $2.9 billion in contracts awarded to local companies during the World Defense Show held in Riyadh. At the show, the Kingdom signed 22 localization agreements, and the Ministry of Investment inked 12 memoranda of understanding with defense companies, showcasing Riyadh’s willingness to become a major player in the global defense industry. SAMI’s rapid growth has also led to a significant increase in employment, with the company now boasting over 3,600 employees and planning to add 1,500 in the next quarter compared to just 100 in 2018.

  • Department of Defense Unveils Comprehensive Recommendations to Strengthen Foreign Military Sales

    Today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III approved a tasking memo from the Department of Defense (DoD) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Tiger Team that highlights six key FMS pressure points and directs implementation of recommendations to improve and accelerate the Department's institutional processes to execute FMS cases. The efforts of the Tiger Team and the Department's commitment to improve the FMS system advance the direction of the 2022 National Defense Strategy to break down barriers to working with allies and partners.