Ministry of Defense signs MoU with Spain's Navantia to build combat ships for Saudi navy

Officials at the signing ceremony 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense and the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Spain-based Navantia Co. to acquire and build a number of multi-mission combat ships for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. 

The signing ceremony was held in the presence of the Kingdom’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman.

The agreement aims to raise the level of readiness of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to enhance maritime security in the region, protect the Kingdom’s vital and strategic interests, and support the defense ministry’s operational and tactical goals, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. 

Under the agreement, Navantia will localize up to 100% of naval shipbuilding, integration of combat systems, and ship maintenance, in line with Vision 2030. 

Additionally, it focuses on merging combat systems of new ships, engineering and designing systems, hardware, developing software, testing, systems verification, prototyping, simulation, as well as logistical support and training program design. 

The MoU comes within the vision of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to create a base for advanced maritime industries in the Kingdom, as well as in accordance with the directives of the defense minister, with the aim of raising the readiness of the armed forces, sustaining systems, localizing military industries, and maximizing the use of local content, said Khaled Biyari, Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs. 

Governor of GAMI Ahmad Al-Ohali stressed that the MoU enhances the localization process in the military industries sector by achieving the goals of the Kingdom's vision to localize over 50% of the total military spending by 2030.  

He added that this will enable the Kingdom to achieve the national priorities of enhancing strategic independence and developing a sustainable local military industries sector that enhances building local industrial capabilities, diversified supply chains and localizing human cadres.