According to information published by the “Tactical Report” website on August 2, 2022, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) organization of Saudi Arabia is currently in talks with the Turkish company Baykar Technology to launch the development of different types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Saudi Arabia.
Baykar Technology is a Turkish company that developed, designed, and manufactured a wide range of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Systems) including the famous Bayraktar TB2 which is currently used by the Ukrainian armed forces to fight Russian troops.
For several years, Saudi Arabia has launched a program to modernize its defense industry with the goal to develop and manufacture locally different types of military and security equipment in the land, air, and naval sectors.
Saudi Arabia’s aim is to localize over 50 percent of military equipment spending by 2030. The country has already begun developing less complex industries such as those providing spare parts, armored vehicles, and basic ammunition. We will expand this initiative to higher value and more complex equipment such as military aircraft.