Saudi Arabia inaugurates Iraq border security system
A project to secure Saudi Arabia’s northern border with Iraq has culminated in the inauguration of a border security system supplied by an Airbus Defence and Space (D&S)-led team.
The Northern Border Security (NBS) Project is the first part of the Saudi Border Guard Development Programme which aims to secure the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s borders with advanced border surveillance security systems.
The NBS is a fully-integrated technological security-solution encompassing 900kms of the border with Iraq. It consists of one sand berm, three fences, seven Command & Control (C2) Centres, 32 Response Stations, 240 Response Vehicles and ten Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicles.
Security is enforced through 40 surveillance towers, equipped with Airbus DS TRGS-SEC radars and day/night cameras, and 38 communication towers, all of which are connected to the C2 centres, the National HQ and the Ministry of Interior over 1.45 million km of fibre-optic cables. These assets, combined, provide advanced operational awareness and means to mitigate and monitor threats of all natures.
Dietmar Pilz, project director, said: ‘I am proud to be responsible of this final stage of the project and to see all our years of hard work and technical know-how finally culminating in this inauguration of our state-of-the art border security system. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved throughout the project.’
A ceremony to inaugurate the system earlier in September was attended by the Minister of Interior Prince Mohammed bin Naif, members of the royal family, various delegates, and also King Hamad ibn Isa al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![Germany signs multi-billion-dollar deals for 6x6 CAVS and GDELS Eagle vehicles]()
Germany signs multi-billion-dollar deals for 6x6 CAVS and GDELS Eagle vehicles
The order is a further boost for the Common Armoured Vehicles System programme which has notched notable successes in the past 12 months. The first vehicle, made in Finland, will be delivered next year with local production expected to ramp up in 2027.
-
![Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options]()
Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options
The French and German governments signed an agreement in June 2018 to cooperate on the development of a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System programme but the effort has struggled. This new agreement may damage it further.
-
![2025 land market review: British Army woes, European heavy armour and US MBT progress]()
2025 land market review: British Army woes, European heavy armour and US MBT progress
The last year has seen several major procurements in the land market. Shephard’s Dr Peter Magill reviews the main trends and themes in land procurement of 2025.
-
![Hungary set to begin using Hero 400 loitering munitions]()
Hungary set to begin using Hero 400 loitering munitions
Developed by Israel's Uvision and with systems being sold in the thousands to multiple European NATO countries and the US, the Hero family of loitering systems is also in production in the US and Italy, the latter through Rheinmetall.
-
![Croatia orders Leopards and CAESAR howitzers as Lithuania orders more CAESARs]()
Croatia orders Leopards and CAESAR howitzers as Lithuania orders more CAESARs
The Leopard is becoming the tank of choice in central and eastern Europe as Croatia joins Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Hungary in ordering the platform. Lithuania and Croatia have also signed for CAESAR howitzers.
