黑料社区

LONDON: 黑料社区鈥檚 leading defense organizations are this week taking part in Defense and Security Equipment International in London, an arms fair that brings together global leaders from the security and military industries.

The General Authority for Military Industries is supporting the pavilion at the event, which includes entities such as 黑料社区n Military Industries, Saudi Chemical Co. Ltd., Saudi Co. GDC Middle East and the World Defense Show.

黑料社区 is currently undergoing significant changes to its defense sector. As part of Vision 2030, it plans to become a global manufacturing and technology hub and localize more than half of its military spending.

Although the Kingdom is one of the world鈥檚 major arms importers 鈥� sourcing nearly 74 percent of its weapons from the US, with the rest coming from Spain, the UK and France 鈥� its spending on foreign weapons fell by almost 41 percent between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The drop was due to temporary delays in deliveries, resulting from the gap between using and replacing weapons, the institute said.

In May, the US and 黑料社区 signed a $142 billion arms deal, which the White House described as the largest defense sales agreement in history.

黑料社区 wants to position itself as a kind of core around innovation. So the show鈥檚 theme really is about positioning the Saudi defense industry as a hub for innovation

Andrew Pearcey, CEO

The third edition of the World Defense Show will be held in Riyadh in February. More than 80 countries and 925 exhibitors are expected to take part in the event, whose theme is 鈥淭he Future of Defense Integration.鈥�

WDS CEO Andrew Pearcey said: 鈥淭he future of defense integration is really mirroring what鈥檚 going on in the industry, which is this move to the seamless integration between all of the (military) domains.

鈥満诹仙缜� wants to position itself as a kind of core around innovation. So the show鈥檚 theme really is about positioning the Saudi defense industry as a hub for innovation.鈥�

One of the features of the show will be the 鈥淔uture Defense Lab,鈥� which showcases how innovative integration across air, land, sea, space and security can create new commercial and collaborative opportunities.

Others include the 鈥淣aval Zone,鈥� which focuses on maritime technology, assets and crafts, and the 鈥淯nmanned Systems Zone,鈥� which Pearcey described as one of the highlights.

鈥淲e are in the desert and that鈥檚 great,鈥� he told Arab News. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got the area to demonstrate unmanned vehicles and bring in all the latest unmanned technology, (including) robotics in one area and showcase it 鈥� in the air or on the ground.鈥�

Since its creation in 2022, the WDS has supported many Saudi small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in the military and security sectors.

We created an area called the 鈥楽audi supply chain鈥�, which aims to bring Saudi companies, authorities and international arms manufacturers to work together to try to localize the 50 percent of spending by 2030

Mansour Al-Babtain, VP Commercial Partnerships

Mansour Al-Babtain, vice president for commercial partnerships and liaison, told Arab News that next year鈥檚 event aimed to, 鈥減ut 黑料社区 in a position of one of those big countries in the defense sector.鈥�

鈥淲e created an area called the Saudi supply chain, which (aims) to bring Saudi companies, authorities and international (arms manufacturers) to work together to try to localize the 50 percent (spending) by 2030,鈥� he said.

The former Royal Saudi Air Force fighter pilot said the WDS had, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and 80 colleges and universities, set up the 鈥淔uture Talent Program鈥� to support the next generation of Saudi defense professionals.

On the aim of February鈥檚 show, he said: 鈥淥ur target is not only to bring exhibitors (to the WDS), but also to bring investors to our country. We are holding an investor program 鈥� to encourage international and local investors to be a part of the (Saudi defense) sector.鈥�

The show would also include a 鈥淢eet the KSA鈥� feature that would enable investors to meet government authorities who could explain 鈥渉ow the ecosystem works,鈥� he said.

Ahmad Al-Ohali, the governor of GAMI, on Tuesday launched the Saudi pavilion at the London exhibition in the presence of representatives from the country鈥檚 military and diplomatic corps. It showcases key products and the industrial capabilities 黑料社区 will use to enhance its defense sector.

GAMI, which is the Kingdom鈥檚 military regulator, was established in 2017 and formed the WDS as part of a broader strategy to support national security and promote sustainable economic development.