The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) signed a contract with Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) for the development and manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicle “SkyGuard”.
The new contract aims to establish a leading foundational base for technological innovation, both regionally and internationally.
SAMI also signed an agreement with Prince Sultan Defense Studies and Research Center (PSDSARC) to further develop “SkyGuard,” which is the outcome of numerous R&D efforts, contributing to the overarching goal of localizing over 50 percent of expenditure on defense equipment and services by the year 2030.
Governor of GAMI Ahmad al-Ohali, Vice Chairman of SAMI Ghassan al-Shibl, CEO of SAMI Walid Abukhaled, and several key executives from the two entities attended the signing ceremony.
Ohali asserted that the agreement is expected to add significant value by increasing military readiness within the Kingdom’s defense ecosystem and enhancing field responsiveness and technical support. It will also expand high-skilled job creation for Saudi human talent.
He noted that this new agreement is part of the framework for incentivizing localization in the Kingdom’s defense sector and supporting its Vision 2030 targets.
“Saudi Arabia today is laying the foundation for transformative change in this promising sector for generations to come.”
SAMI CEO Abukhaled reiterated that this signing marks a step amongst many in the Kingdom’s aspirational and inspiring localization journey.
Abukhaled noted the pertinence of this signing to building a robust local defense ecosystem comprising indigenous supply chains that satisfy our strategic need to be self-sufficient.
