The Saudi General Authority for Military Industries announced today (Sunday) the signing of a contract to develop the Air Force One (UAV) with the Saudi Company for Military Industries.

The Saudi Military Industries Company also signed an agreement with the Prince Sultan Center for Defense Studies and Research to work on developing the aircraft, which is one of the results of several research and development projects in the center to reach a national product that meets the requirements of the beneficiaries, which will contribute to achieving the main goal of localizing more than 50 percent of the Kingdom's spending on military equipment and services by 2030.

The signing of the contract for the development and manufacture of the "Sky Guard" system was attended by the Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, Engineer Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Military Industries Company, Dr. Ghassan bin Abdul Rahman Al-Shibl, and the CEO of the Saudi Military Industries Company, Engineer Walid bin Abdul Majeed Abu Khaled. , and a number of executives from both sides.

The Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, Engineer Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, said that the signing of the contract for the development of the Air Force Guard aircraft will contribute to raising the military readiness of the defense system in the Kingdom, increasing the response of field service and technical support, and creating highly skilled job opportunities for Saudi competencies, which come within the framework of stimulating the localization Military industries in the Kingdom, and support its strategy aimed at localizing the sector with more than 50 percent of government spending on military equipment and services by 2030, adding that what the Kingdom owns today will be the basis on which the military and defense industry will be built to achieve transformation in this promising sector, which enjoys With unlimited support from the wise leadership, and an unprecedented level of openness for the Kingdom to raise its position day after day as a destination for investment in all fields.

For his part, Engineer Walid bin Abdul Majeed Abu Khaled, CEO of the Saudi Arabian Military Industries Company, confirmed that the signing of the contract for the development of the Airspace Guard (unmanned aircraft) project, which took place between the authority and the company, is one of the steps of a promising journey and an ambitious path towards the localization of the military and defense industries in the Kingdom. He added that the contract for the development of the "Aircraft Guard" aims to build an innovative and unique technical base regionally and internationally through the development, manufacture and localization of unmanned aircraft systems, and the creation of a local defense system that contributes to building a base of supply chains that supports achieving self-sufficiency for our dear homeland.

It is worth noting that the General Authority for Military Industries works with all its local and international partners to enhance the process of localization in the sector by achieving the goals of the Kingdom's vision to localize more than 50 percent of military spending by 2030, which will enable it to achieve the national priorities of strengthening the Kingdom's strategic independence Contribute to raising its military readiness, in addition to enhancing joint operation between all security and military authorities, and developing a sustainable local military industries sector, in addition to raising transparency and spending efficiency.