Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) has signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Turkish companies to "support the localization of defense industries" in the kingdom, the state-owned entity announced earlier Thursday.
In a press release, it said an agreement was reached with Türkiye's drone magnate Baykar to "establish manufacturing capabilities" and develop systems for Baykar's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in Saudi Arabia.
SAMI also agreed with Turkish defense giant Aselsan to explore opportunities for developing defense electronics technologies in the kingdom.
In addition, SAMI signed a preliminary agreement with Türkiye's Fergani Space for the "development of emerging technologies in the kingdom to serve the global space sector," the statement said.
Last year, Saudi Arabia agreed to buy drones from Baykar, in what was dubbed the biggest defense contract in of Türkiye’s history. This was accompanied by a strategic pact to start manufacturing drones locally within Saudi Arabia.
Baykar-produced Turkish drones have been prominently utilized in global conflicts, including Ukraine and Azerbaijan, where they have been employed for surveillance and precise military actions. The drones have been credited to be a game-changer in modern combat area, providing an upper hand to the armies utilizing them.
