Saudi Arabia Launches Astronaut Training Program
The Saudi Space Commission (SSC) established the Kingdom's first astronaut program to prepare Saudis for long- and short-term explorations in space.
Saudi Arabia News
Space
Weapon / Missile
Saudi Arabia to get 300 Patriot Missiles
The State Department approved a possible FMS to Saudi Arabia of PATRIOT MIM-104E GEM-T for an estimated cost of $3.05 billion.
Navy / Maritime
Saudi Arabia received the Second Avante 2200 Class Corvette
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) received "Al Diriyah", the second of five Avante 2200 class corvettes ordered from the Saudi Kingdom as part of the Alsarawat project. The receiving ceremony occurred at the Spanish naval base of La Caraca in Seville.
Bilateral Relations
Erdoğan met Saudi leaders for the first time since the Khashoggi murder
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud in Jeddah, his first visit to the country since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 sparked a global outcry against the kingdom and its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Expo and Air Show
China and Saudi Arabia Collaborate to Build Military Drones
According to Xinhua News Agency, companies from China and Saudi Arabia cooperate on UAV payloads. Advanced Communications and Electronics Systems Co. (ACES) and China Electronics Technology Group Corp. (CETC) announced the deal at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which took place on March 6-9.
Weapon / Missile
Modernisation
Upgrade for Saudi’s THAADs
The State Department has decided to approve a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) and related equipment for an estimated $23.7 million. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.
Regional / Strategy
China replaces the U.S. in the Middle East
According to CNN International, the U.S. intelligence and satellite images show that Saudi Arabia is now developing its ballistic missiles with the assistance of China. The image states that the Kingdom is now actively manufacturing its own ballistic missiles with the assistance of China to restrain Iran's nuclear ambitions, the Saudis' main regional rival.
Bilateral Relations
Regional / Strategy
Saudi Arabia – Qatar Relations Back to Normalisation
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Doha for the first time since four years-long blockades of Qatar.
Weapon / Missile
Bilateral Relations
US Congress Allowed Saudi Arabia Weapons Sale to Proceed
Saudi Arabia received permission to reach the missiles as the Senate lifted the blockade. A bipartisan block holds the sale of the $650m sales of missiles.
Weapon / Missile
Saudi Arabia to Acquire 280 AMRAAM
The State Department approved a possible FMS to Saudi Arabia of 280 AIM-120C AMRAAM with an estimated cost of $650 million.
Weapon / Missile
Regional / Strategy
Saudi Arabia May Acquire Israeli Air Defence Systems
According to “Breaking Defence “, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has reached out to Jerusalem about the possibility of procuring Israeli-made missile defence systems.
Bilateral Relations
Greece sent its Patriot System to Protect Saudi Energy Facilities
HAL sent its Patriot system to Saudi Arabia on September 14th. Greek Defence Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos attended the ceremony at the Tanagra Air Base.
Navy / Maritime
Navantia’s first Avante corvette of the Saudi Navy has begun sea trials
The first of five Avante 2200 corvettes being built for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces has begun sea trials, according to Spanish shipbuilder Navantia (RSNF).
Bilateral Relations
Regional / Strategy
Expo and Air Show
The US Leaves the Middle East while Russia fills the Vacuum
At the International Military-Technical Forum (ARMY 2021), the deputy defence ministers of Russia and Saudi Arabia signed a new agreement on military
