• Land Warfare

  Poland and Saudi Arabia to receive technical support for M1A2 Abrams

  18th May 2022

  The oldest and newest FMS customers for the M1A2 Abrams MBT will receive technical support from General Dynamics Land Systems.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2022: John Cockerill cuts weight of Leopard MBT with compact turret

  22nd June 2022

  The latest 3105 two-crew turret with 105mm main gun from John Cockerill Defense has been installed on a Leopard M1A5 MBT.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2022: John Cockerill brings i-X to Europe with VR shooter system

  14th June 2022

  The lightweight vehicle will support an AI-based VR-based shooter system that will provide the operator with a 360-degree vision, target locking and target recognition capabilities.

• Training

  USAF ACMI pods to undergo encryption upgrade

  13th May 2022

  Cubic is to install NSA-certified encryption for its P5 Combat Training System ACMI pods

• Defence Notes

  World Defense Show’s first edition accelerates Saudi Arabia’s transition towards a self-sufficient defense industry (sponsored)

  19th April 2022

  Saudi Arabia is on its way to localizing 50% of military, defense and security expenditure by 2030 following the inaugural World Defense Show.

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin to produce more ballistic missile defence interceptors for US and Saudis

  4th April 2022

  The latest THAAD contract modification will see Lockheed Martin produce more interceptors and one-shot devices for the DoD and Saudi Arabia.

• Naval Warfare

  Navantia hands over first Al Jubail-class corvette to Saudi navy

  1st April 2022

  Al Jubail was handed over to the Royal Saudi Naval Forces a little over three years since first steel was cut, and the new corvette will be commissioned into service in March 2023.

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany dismisses Chinook report but plans heavy-lift helicopter decision soon

  28th April 2022

  In another twist for Germany's heavy-lift helicopter acquisition, the MoD has questioned where information about selection of the CH-47F came from, dismissing such a claim and stating that an official announcement will happen soon.

• Digital Battlespace

  ‘Various’ FMS customers to receive AN/TPQ-53 counterfire target acquisition radar

  1st April 2022

  Lockheed Martin will produce and deliver full-rate production AN/TPQ-53 radars to unnamed FMS customers under a new multibillion-dollar contract from the US Army.

• Defence Helicopter

  SAMI and Boeing seek JV for rotary-wing MRO

  11th April 2022

  With Saudi military aircraft numbers set to double in the next ten years, SAMI and Boeing are joining forces for helicopter MRO in the kingdom.

• Defence Notes

  Leonardo delivers third and fourth Eurofighters to Kuwait

  31st March 2022

  Kuwait has received another batch of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter sets from Leonardo.

• Defence Notes

  WDS 2022: Saudis gain industrial workshare on THAAD programme

  7th March 2022

  Agreements between GAMI and Lockheed Martin will see production in Saudi Arabia of THAAD interceptor launchers and canisters.

• Naval Warfare

  WDS 2022: MoUs reflect role for Navantia in Saudi defence sector

  8th March 2022

  Spanish shipbuilder Navantia sealed MoUs with Zamil Offshore Service Company and the SAMI AEC during the World Defense Show 2022.

• Naval Warfare

  WDS 2022: New frigate design helps plot course for greater Saudi military shipbuilding

  8th March 2022

  Saudi Arabia’s International Maritime Industries (IMI) is enhancing its military shipbuilding capabilities through a new partnership with HHI.

• Defence Notes

  WDS 2022: Saudi firms continue push towards Vision 2030

  10th March 2022

  While the Saudi defence sector continues its push to contribute to the national Vision 2030 economic modernisation programme, contracts awarded during WDS 2022 reveal there is still a role for international companies as well.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kozak 5 (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background  In 2021, Ukrainian firm Pracktika announced that they had fulfilled an export contract to deliver 60 Kozak-5 armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Tanks

  M1A2S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Saudi Arabia was the first export customer for the M1A2 Abrams. 315 were delivered between 1993 and 1994 as part of a $1.5 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Didgori AMEV ( Saudi Arabia - Second Batch)

  Programme Background Saudi Arabia announced that it was evaluating several 4x4 armoured vehicles in 2014 under a programme to acquire new armoured ambulances capable of ...

• Tanks

  T-90S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background.  The status of the Saudi Arabian T-90 deal is unclear, it is possible that these tanks may be purchased to replace stocks of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Saudi Arabia National Guard LAV 700

  The Saudi Arabian LAV 700 order is believed to encompass several variants including APC, ambulance, armoured recovery vehicle, command post, ATGM carrier, IFV, VIP transport ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Jais 4x4 (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background The Saudi Arabian government is aiming to localise 50% of its investment into defence by 2030 in line with the country's Vision 2030 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 [Saudi Arabia]

  Background 2014 Order According to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), in 2014, Saudi Arabia ordered two CH-4 aircraft from China. However, information from the Stockholm International Peace ...

• Corvettes

  Avante 2200 (6-8) [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Timeline In December 2022, the Saudi Arabian MoD and General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) signed an MoU with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia has reportedly been in negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs since 2013. It has not been disclosed which Anka ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Hazem

  Produced by SAMI Navantia, Hazem is a combat management system designed for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. Based on the Cadiz CMS, it is integrated ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2 (Block 8, 8A, 9, 10, 10C, 11, 11C, 15, 15C)

  Under the Typhoon Tranche 2 procurement,  the four European partner nations of Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the export customer Saudi Arabia took delivery ...

• Transport

  An-132

  The An-132 is a multipurpose transport aircraft based on the Soviet-era An-32. It is being jointly developed by Antonov and Saudi Arabia's Technology Development and ...

• SH-01

  The SHAHEEN SH-01 is a VTOL UAS manufactured by Prince Sultan Defense in Saudi Arabia. The aircraft is designed for surveillance and reconnaissance purposes. 

• Ship-launched torpedoes, Submarine-launched torpedoes

  F17

  The F17 is a wire-guided anti-surface ship torpedo developed for the French Navy and purchased by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The latest version is the F17 ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Shahine

  The Shahine radar is a key component of the Shahine self-propelled surface-to-air missile system, developed by Thomson-CSF (now Thales) for Saudi Arabia in the 1970s. ...

• Data links

  TTR

  Offered through Data Link Solutions (DLS) – Rockwell Collins' joint venture with BAE Systems – TacNet Tactical Radio (TTR) is claimed to be the smallest ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Interceptor HSI32

  The Interceptor HSI32 was designed by French shipbuilder CMN to meet the needs of modern navies and coastguards. The vessel's primary missions are sea policing ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  Captas-1

  CAPTAS-1 is a low-frequency Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) developed by Thales. It is the smallest member of the CAPTAS family optimised for littoral and shallow water ...

• Corvettes

  Avante 2200 (Combatant)

  The Avante 2200 corvettes from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia are currently under construction for Saudi Arabia. A contract was signed for five corvettes in July 2018. ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Cymbeline

  The Cymbeline is a phased-array, mortar-locating radar that detects the flight path of a mortar bomb at two points in its trajectory as it passes ...

• Mine-protected vehicles

  RG32M

  BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa produced more than 600 RG32-series vehicles before its acquisition in 2014 by state-owned Denel.  According to the company, the ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800M-MP

  The L3Harris Falcon III RF-7800M-MP high-capacity data radio provides secure voice and high-speed networked data, supporting both narrowband and wideband waveforms of 30MHz-2GHz with 20W ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Cockpit 9000

  Produced by CMC Electronics, the Cockpit 9000 is an integrated avionics solution primarily integrated into C-130 aircraft. According to the manufacturer, over 100 C-130s are ...

• Mine-protected vehicles

  Aravis

  Nexter unveiled its 12.5t Aravis at Eurosatory 2008, and in April 2009, the company received a launch order for 15 vehicles to equip French Army ...