Made in KSA

The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Saudi global shipments during 2015. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Saudi Arabia.

1. Oil: US$164.1 billion (76.9% of total exports)
2. Plastics: $15.2 billion (7.1%)
3. Organic chemicals: $10.2 billion (4.8%)
4. Ships, boats: $2.5 billion (1.2%)
5. Aluminum: $2 billion (1%)
6. Machines, engines, pumps: $1.8 billion (0.8%)
7. Inorganic chemicals: $1.5 billion (0.7%)
8. Vehicles: $1.3 billion (0.6%)
9. Dairy, eggs, honey: $1.2 billion (0.6%)
10. Electronic equipment: $1.1 billion (0.5%)

Aluminum was the fastest-growing among the top 10 export categories, up 292.5% in value for the 5-year period starting in 2011.

In second place for improving export sales were inorganic chemicals which was up 136.6%.

Saudi ships and boats posted the third-fastest gain in value at 105.6%.

The leading decliner among the top 10 Saudi exports was oil which was down by -47.2% from 2011 to 2015. The second-fastest depreciating product category was organic chemicals with a -15.7% drop.

http://www.worldstopexports.com/saudi-arabias-top-10-exports/


‘Made in KSA:’ Saudi Arabia unveils first locally manufactured truck


King Abdullah greenlights Gazal 1 to become first Saudi-made car




Saudi Arabia opens munitions factory built by Rheinmetall Denel Munition

RDM manufactures a wide variety of medium and large calibre ammunition, from 40 mm grenades to 155 mm artillery rounds as well as mortars, bombs, 76/62 mm shells, mine breaching systems and rocket and missile subsystems. For example, RDM provided the rocket motor for the FZ-90 rocket and offers rocket fuse, warhead and motor capabilities. RDM also builds two to three ammunition filling plants a year for export. The company has established ammunition filling plants in three dozen different countries over the last three decades.

 

Military Industries Corporation (Saudi Arabia)

MIC seeks to accommodate the needs and requirements of Saudi Arabia’s military sectors, acquiring technologies and building up military industries that are capable of keeping up with advancements in the Armed Forces. Its strategy includes:

1. Recruiting, developing and retaining a national work force. By agreement with the Ministry of Education it has awarded scholarships to 5,000 engineering students, who enter employment with the Corporation upon graduation.
2. Managing and developing MIC factories and plants.
3. Achieving integration among MIC, the military sectors and government agencies.
4. Cooperating with private sector entities, internally and externally, especially in the field of joint manufacturing.
5. Conducting research in collaboration with national and international universities and research centers; enabling technology transfer among these institutes, and establishing its own research centers.

 

Saudi Arabia emphasises development of local defence firms
https://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com...dom-placing-emphasis-developing-local-defence


Of all the industrial and commercial sectors that Saudi Arabia is targeting for development as part of its shift towards a knowledge-based economy, defence is one in which it is particularly well placed to become a global leader. Already the world’s third-biggest defence spender, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Saudi government is expected to continue investing heavily in the sector regardless of fluctuations in the price of oil. Much of this money will continue to be spent on imports of the latest technology, although a growing emphasis is being placed on developing the country’s indigenous defence companies, often through partnerships with foreign firms and research institutions.

Rising Investment
Saudi Arabia does not disclose its defence budget; however, according to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, defence and security spending accounted for 35% of the 2014 budget, which is equivalent to SR302.9bn ($80.7bn). This would represent an increase of 20.6% on the corresponding figure of SR251.2bn ($66.9bn) from 2013, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. In terms of the outlook for 2015, Jadwa Investment predicts that defence and security will remain the largest component of government spending, which is budgeted to rise to SR860bn ($229.2bn) for the year.

“The 2015 national budget was positive as it represents continuity,” Andy Carr, CEO of BAE Systems Saudi Arabia, told OBG. Regarding specifically the defence budget, Carr noted that due to regional tensions he thinks defence spending will likely remain high for the foreseeable future. Indeed, according to consultancy IHS, one out of every seven dollars spent on defence imports in 2015 will be spent by Saudi Arabia, which is predicted to increase its defence imports by 52% year-on-year to $9.8bn in 2015.

This all comes on the back of increased defence imports between 2013 and 2014 of some 54%, which saw the Kingdom overtake India in the process to becoming the world’s largest defence importer.

The fall in oil prices since mid-2014 has had a limited impact on the Saudi defence sector, with some local contractors telling OBG that only a few smaller projects had been delayed. Major contracts with international partners, such as the F-15SA programme, are likely to proceed as planned. Indeed, in 2014 Saudi Arabia was reported to have signed a 14-year contract with the Canadian subsidiary of US defence provider General Dynamics Land Systems worth up to $13bn for 1000 light armoured vehicles and associated equipment, training and support.

Maintaining Stability
Continued investment in defence is partly a reflection of the threats the Kingdom faces from ISIS to its north and instability in Yemen to its south. With these in mind as well as issues further afield, the coming years are likely to see greater emphasis on homeland security in three areas: securing the Kingdom’s northern and southern land borders, counter-terrorism and cybersecurity.

The country’s armed forces consist of the Royal Saudi Land Forces (including Special Forces), Royal Saudi Navy (including Marine Forces), Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Forces and the Saudi Ministry of National Guard (MNG), formerly known as the Saudi Arabian National Guard, which includes a recently inaugurated Air Operations division. In total, Saudi Arabia had approximately 230,000 active frontline personnel, 1095 tanks and 652 aircraft as of 2014.

Rsaf Modernisation
Much of Saudi Arabia’s defence spending since the 1980s has been directed towards the modernisation of its military hardware, with one of the most significant recent pieces of this process being the $29.4bn deal signed in 2011 to equip the RSAF with F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) fighter jets. The first of these aircraft began flight testing in the US in February 2013 and as of early 2015 was set for imminent delivery to Saudi Arabia.

Under the F-15SA deal Saudi Arabia will purchase 84 new fighters, and a further 70 F-15S fighters already operated by the RSAF will be upgraded to the SA configuration. Deliveries of the F-15SA are scheduled to be concluded by 2019, with conversion kit installations taking place from 2016 onwards.

The F-15SA includes fly-by-wire flight controls, a digital electronic warfare suite, Lockheed Martin’s AN/AAS-42 infrared search and track system, and Raytheon’s APG-63v3 active electronically scanned array radar. The cockpits are designed to be compatible with the joint helmet-mounted cueing system that allows the crew to aim weapons through their helmet visors, while the airframe has two extra wing stations for increased weapons payload capacity.

Borders
While air force modernisation continues, Saudi Arabia has also been investing in securing its borders. The first phase of a security barrier along the Kingdom’s northern border was inaugurated in September 2014. The 900-km barrier consists of 78 monitoring towers, eight command centres, 10 mobile surveillance vehicles, 32 rapid-response centres and three rapid intervention squads, which are all connected by a fibre-optic communications network. According to the Saudi Press Agency, 3400 people were being trained to operate the barrier.

This growing interest in border security has created an opportunity for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sales. As Carr explained to OBG, “UAVs can cover a large land area and identify what has changed since the last pass. This is more effective and cheaper than constructing a physical border fence.” Saudi Arabia currently uses Turkish & Chinese Beyond-Line-of-Sight UAVs, but authorities are investigating the procurement of the General Atomics Predator XP since the US Congress authorised it for export in early 2015.

Growing Capabilities
Investment in the latest military hardware from abroad has been accompanied by a growing desire to develop a sophisticated defence industry at home. Two decades ago, Saudi Arabia was near the bottom of the standard hierarchy of defence production, buying sophisticated military systems without being able to operate them, according to the Atlantic Council. Currently, the Kingdom’s state of development in defence industrialisation terms places it somewhere between tiers two and three, where tier one is the highest of five on the Atlantic Council’s scale. This means that Saudi Arabia is already able to copy and reproduce existing technologies and that it is getting closer to producing at or near the technological frontier and being capable of adapting existing technology to meet specific security requirements.

“We should focus on strategic, niche areas, such as producing radar and electronic warfare equipment,” Sami Al Humaidi, CEO of Prince Sultan Advanced Technologies Research Institute, told OBG. “This also important because these sorts of advanced systems are sometimes difficult to access.”

Home-Grown Ambitions
Saudi Arabia’s stated goal of becoming self-sufficient in the defence sector is ambitious, albeit understandable too for reasons of national security, economic diversification, policy independence and military credibility. In a 2014 study, the Atlantic Council assessed this goal to be attainable in numerous areas. The country has already demonstrated progress in the fields of the design, manufacture and modernisation of military vehicles, communication and electronic systems, and drones.

The changing nature of the global defence market should favour Saudi Arabia in its quest for self-sufficiency. Globalisation and developments in IT have made the international defence market more accessible by lowering the scientific and technological barriers that have previously been an obstacle to Saudi Arabia’s participation. In particular, the Atlantic Council identified “new technologies, such as unmanned and communications systems and commercially derived technologies” as offering new entrants such as Saudi Arabia a route into the market.

Government Support
The development of a domestic defence sector requires a certain level of institutional capacity in order to succeed. To this end, in 2010 the government set about rationalising the process of military industrialisation by creating the Central Committee for Local Industrialisation, which brought together business leaders and defence officials in a bid to reduce delivery times and costs while improving local capabilities.

In 2011 Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz announced the creation of a new department under the Saudi Armed Forces Command to oversee local industrialisation and the transfer of military technology. This was followed in 2013 by the approval of a new law regulating the General Organisation for Military Industries (GOMI), formerly known as Military Industries Corporation (MIC), an independent body reporting to the minister of defence.

Upon the passing of the law, the Cabinet announced, “The main purpose of MIC shall be to support the national security by creating a sophisticated military industry to meet the needs of all military sectors. The governmental military and security bodies shall give priority to MIC when they intend to purchase their needs of arms, ammunition, equipment, machinery and vehicles as well as services that fall within the organisation’s activities.” In a further sign of government support for the body, a new chairman was appointed in February 2015. By royal decree, Mohamed Al Mady, who was previously head of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, will now chair GOBI.

Education
Heavy investment by the government in education, particularly in science and technology, has helped create a more attractive research and development (R&D) climate – an essential component of any successful military industrialisation strategy.

A national science and technology policy was adopted in 2003, and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has developed into a leading science agency and research laboratory employing more than 2500 people and drawing researchers and scientists from around the world.

Other institutions designed to bolster Saudi Arabia’s national R&D capabilities include a number of recently created science parks, such as the Riyadh Techno Valley, the Dhahran Techno Valley and the Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Science Park, in addition to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), which was opened in September 2009 with a remit to focus on research.

Tapping Local Research
These investments in R&D have benefitted the defence industry, as demonstrated by some of the partnerships that foreign defence firms have pursued with KACST and other Saudi research organisations. For example, in December 2010 KACST and Boeing agreed to establish a decision support centre in Riyadh to carry out advanced modelling, simulation and analysis work on behalf of aerospace companies in Saudi Arabia.

In September 2014 Boeing opened a research and technology office in partnership with KAUST, with the aim of facilitating industrial collaboration at both the local and international levels. This marks an extension of Boeing’s existing partnership with KAUST, which has taken on work on six major projects in advanced materials, computer modelling, solar power applications and industrial water treatment since its inception in 2009. The new office will be staffed primarily by Saudis and will foster links with members of the KAUST Industrial Cooperation Partnership.

Lockheed Martin also signed a partnership agreement with KACST in February 2013, with the objectives of enhancing job creation and transferring technological expertise to Saudi Arabia, as well as helping the Kingdom to develop its aerospace and commercial sectors more generally. Under the terms of the agreement, Lockheed Martin will train qualified Saudis in fields related to the defence, medical and technological sectors. This partnership is also benefitting Saudi universities by granting their researchers access to Lockheed Martin’s laboratories and the chance to meet with a number of US experts. The partnership with KACST builds on existing agreements Lockheed Martin has with KAUST and Alfaisal University.

Research Partnerships
These agreements between defence companies and Saudi research institutions are complemented by a growing number of collaborative projects in engineering and defence-related disciplines that are being forged by leading US universities and their Saudi counterparts. For instance, KACST and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology jointly set up the centre for complex engineering systems to improve understanding of such systems and jointly conduct research.

In addition, in June 2014 KACST and Stanford University marked the successful launch of their jointly developed satellite, which is intended to carry out scientific experiments using ultraviolet radiation in space. SaudiSat-4, which was put into orbit by a Ukrainian-designed Dnepr rocket, is the 13th industrial satellite to be launched by Saudi Arabia.

This was followed by the formalisation of KACST’s research relationship with the Stanford Centre of Excellence in Aeronautics and Astronautics in August 2014. Planned collaborative projects under the six-year agreement include research by Prince Turki bin Saud, who holds a PhD in aeronautics from Stanford University and became president of KACST in February 2015, and Stanford professor Brian Cantwell into liquid rocket fuels for satellite applications.

Foreign Partners

The large international defence contractors active in Saudi Arabia have come to appreciate that it is in their interest to facilitate knowledge transfer and help build up the Kingdom’s aerospace and defence sector. “We wish to align ourselves with Saudi Arabia’s national objectives,” Carr explained to OBG. “This means creating jobs, wealth and paying taxes in Saudi Arabia, which is why training, onshore manufacturing and onshore repair form our strategy.”
Under this strategy, BAE Systems started servicing Typhoon aircraft for the RSAF in Saudi Arabia in 2009. In 2014 the Advanced Electronics Company (AEC), a joint venture (JV) established by BAE Systems under the Economic Offset Programme (EOP), became the first approved Typhoon avionics repair agent outside Europe. The company is now an approved supplier to BAE Systems for two avionics boxes on the Typhoon aircraft, and over the next three years it plans to work with BAE Systems and various other original equipment manufacturers, including Rockwell Collins Deutschland, to transfer the repair capability for a further 35 avionic boxes to Saudi Arabia. This is expected to create more than 120 highly skilled technical jobs for Saudi nationals. Eventually, Carr’s ambition is to be able to support the repair of other countries’ aircraft in the Kingdom too. “The establishment of local manufacturing and in-country maintenance and repair capabilities has been growing in importance given the increasing instability in the region,” Ghassan A Al Shibl, president and CEO of AEC, told OBG.

National Aerospace Champions
The progress Saudi Arabia has made so far in defence industrialisation is exemplified by its clutch of respected national defence companies, which are mostly the products of JVs with foreign contractors under the EOP.

In addition to AEC, which specialises in modern electronics manufacturing, system integration and repair and maintenance services, other national aerospace companies include Alsalam Aircraft Company, which offers aircraft maintenance, modification and technical support services; Aircraft Accessories and Components, which overhauls mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and fuel system components found on aircraft; and the Middle East Propulsion Company, which performs maintenance, repair and operations on propulsion systems.

Alsalam, which was established in 1988 through a JV between Boeing, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Advanced Industries Corporation, Gulf Investment Corporation and National Investment Corporation, now employs 3500 people, 55% of whom are Saudi nationals. The company primarily services military aircraft, but in recent years has spread into civilian areas, signing maintenance contracts with Saudi Aramco for its C-130 transport planes and Air Atlanta Icelandic for its Boeing 747 aircraft. Alsalam’s major military contract wins include a $145.2m, five-year deal signed in August 2011 with the RSAF for maintenance of its C-130 transport fleet and a $378.4m deal for maintaining the RSAF’s F-15 fighters. Since then, the company has further expanded into the manufacturing of wings for the RSAF’s Boeing F-15S Eagle fighters and upgrading these aircraft to F-15SA standard.

In the field of drone technology, KACST announced in 2013 that it had produced 38 drones named Saker 2, Saker 3 and Saker 4. Abdullah Al Hussan, supervisor of the National Centre for Aviation Technology at KACST, said that these aircraft were manufactured from a combination of fibreglass and carbon fibre and contained logarithmic programmes to enable the aircraft to adapt to changing environmental conditions while flying. The Saker 2 is a medium-sized aircraft designed to carry photography and monitoring equipment with a range of 150 km (extendable to 250 km) and the ability to fly for eight hours at a speed of 120 km per hour and at an altitude of 5000 metres. The Saker 3 is a short-range aircraft made wholly of carbon fibre that weighs just 4.5 kg. It can be launched by hand and can travel 50 km per hour at an altitude of 1000 metres. The larger Saker 4 weighs 25 kg, can carry a load of 5 kg and has a maximum speed of 120 km per hour flying at an altitude of 5000 metres.

Ground Offensive
Ground systems-focused Saudi defence companies include the Abdallah Al Faris Company for Heavy Industries and Armoured Vehicles and Heavy Equipment Factory, both of which manufacture armoured vehicles, and International Systems Engineering, which offers clients a range of systems engineering, IT and information-based services.

Abdallah Al Faris Company for Heavy Industries is responsible for Saudi Arabia’s first indigenously manufactured armoured infantry fighting vehicle, the eight-wheeled Al Fahd, in addition to the Al Faris 8-400 armoured personnel carrier used by Saudi land forces. The Al Fahd comes in two versions, the AF-40-8-1 armoured personnel carrier and the AF-40-8-2 armoured fighting and reconnaissance vehicle, with the MNG reported to be one of its users.

Meanwhile, the Armoured Vehicles and Heavy Equipment Factory, a subsidiary of Military Industries Corporation, produces the 4x4 light armoured Al Shibl 1 and 2-type vehicles. These are used by the Kingdom’s elite special operations unit, Battalion 85.

Training
Beyond helping to create domestic defence companies under the EOP, foreign defence firms also have an important role to play in the Kingdom’s defence by training their own Saudi staff as well as military personnel. “Approaching 70% of our 5300-strong workforce are Saudi nationals, therefore training and development is a huge focus for the company,” Carr told OBG. One of the challenges identified by Carr is English language ability. This is important in order for Saudi employees to be able to participate in the overseas training and apprenticeship programmes offered by the company. Therefore, English language and specialist technical English courses constitute a significant part of the training given to BAE Systems’ local staff, as is the case with other large defence contractors that are active in the Kingdom.

To improve the effectiveness of training, some defence firms have started experimenting with different teaching styles. For example, one defence contractor involved in training the MNG told OBG that his firm had cut back on the use of PowerPoint presentations in training in favour of group discussions, which they had found to be more culturally effective.

Outlook
With Saudi Arabia likely to sustain its high levels of investment in defence and security, the Kingdom will continue to be an attractive and competitive market for international companies. Meanwhile, the government’s determination to advance the country’s defence industrialisation and the modernisation of its forces’ equipment means that partnerships with Saudi organisations – be they universities or local defence companies – are likely to become an increasingly common feature of the defence landscape.

Al Shibl 1

Light armored vehicle 4 X 4




Specifications

• Armored hull, made of high hardness steel and designed to provide protection from all
sides against light weapons caliber 7.62 mm built on commercial chassis

• Armored glass fitted to the vehicle provides the same protection level

• Remote control weapon station for different machine guns or

• Multi weapon ring mount (7.62mm, 12.7mm, 40mm)

• Firing ports in both sides & in the rear

• Wheels are fitted with run flat system .



Crews
3 persons

Combat weight
3600 kg

Pay load
600 kg

Maximum speed
120 km/h

Engine power
221 hp

Engine torque
387 Nm

Dimensions:

Length
3940 mm

Width
1760 mm

Height w/o Gun amount
2510/1860 mm

Wheel base
2310 mm

Ground Clearance
328 mm

 

OPINION: Saudi defense industry is a national priority

Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Muhammad bin Salman Al Saud (L) of Saudi arrives to attend the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, September 4, 2016. (Reuters)
By Samar Fatany Saudi Gazette Saturday, 31 December 2016

The Sultanate of Oman’s decision to join the Saudi-led anti- terrorism coalition is a welcome development and a major boost to the 40-nation Islamic Military Alliance created on Dec. 15, 2015 to enhance regional security. ISIS, Al-Qaeda and affiliates continue to take advantage of the fragile political and security climate across the region to gain more influence and territorial control. Major General Mansour Al-Turki, an Interior Ministry spokesperson, recently told reporters that more than 2,000 Saudis are currently fighting in the ranks of terrorists abroad and that over 70 percent of them are stationed in Syria. The report is an alarming reminder of the urgent need for military preparedness to combat the threat of terrorism within Saudi Arabia and abroad.

Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, stated that Saudi Vision 2030 includes plans to boost the military industry and to raise the level of security services within the Saudi army. He stated that the Kingdom would be restructuring many military deals to be linked to Saudi manufacturing.

He also added, that the Kingdom is in the process of establishing a holding company for military industries. He said, “It will be later in the Saudi market, also for ‘transparency’, so a citizen can know the military deals, the company’s performance, sales, deals and industries very clearly.” Developing a strong Saudi defense industry is a national priority.

Foreign military assistance
In line with the new vision and the alarming threat of terrorism, seeking military cooperation with major industrial powers is critical to prevent dangerous situations. The drive for self-dependency and the setting up of our own parameters of defense is a step in the right direction. It is time we build our own defense mechanisms. For years, we have been entirely dependent on foreign military assistance and that has weakened our status in the global community and has allowed many to take advantage of our vulnerability. The new vision opens doors for us to import and develop our own indigenous technology to suit our needs and environment.

The official visit of the high-level delegation of the Italian frigate Nave Carabiniere on Dec. 28 to the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented an opportunity for our business community to view state-of-the-art naval ships and products. The commanding officer Francesco Pagnotta explained that the purpose of the visit was to foster cooperation and to demonstrate the newest and most advanced navy projects that are not only for military purposes but also for civilian tasks that include providing power and water supply, humanitarian assistance, hospital services and logistic support with medical care capacity.

Members of the delegation included ship building business leaders who offered services to provide technology transfer of the latest naval ships and electronic warfare and defense equipment. They shared their expertise in surveillance and cyber intelligence systems with the aim of deterring the threat of terrorists or other illegal activities.

Our region must work on a strategy for the efficient transfer of military technology and the creation of policies to foster relations to build partners and not remain recipients in the evolution of technology. If we do not develop our military mechanism and spend wisely on defense, we will be easy prey for warmongers and terrorist organizations.

Saudi Arabia and the Islamic military alliance have an important task ahead not only to train their armed forces, but also to develop a stronger military industry with advanced weapons to defend Muslim territories. The Middle East can no longer afford to be at the mercy of the superpowers that control the sales of arms and exercise their hegemony over our region.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/New...defense-industry-is-a-national-priority-.html

 

The Al-Masmak or Nyoka Mk2 is an APC armoured vehicle personnel carrier in the category of MRAP family. The vehicle is designed and manufactured by the SAUDI GROUPS based in Saudi Arabia. In 2011, SAUDI GROUPS has unveiled its Mines Resistant Armored Personnel Carrier (MRAPC) called AL-MASMAK. SAUDI GROUPS is a private Saudi Arabian company specialized on military and security systems that produces AL-KASER, AL-MANSOUR, AL-NAIF and AL-FAISAL armored personnel carriers (APC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as other GCCC and Middle Eastern Countries with more than 300 APC's currently in use by government entities. At AAD 2012, Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition, the Masmak was presented for the first time to the public for African market under the name “Nyoka Mk2”. During an interview made by Army Recognition at AAD 2012, Mister Mohammed Al-Mutairy, President and CEO of Saudi Groups unveils the secret of the design and the performances of the Al-Masmak. There are several types of similar vehicles in the market but the Al-Masmak offers a higher level of protection, and the vehicle has been designed based on the experience from the military and security users deployed on combat area as Afghanistan and Iraq. The Al-Masmak is a response about the new threats with a ballistic protection not only against the standard AK-47 ammunitions 7.62x39 mm but also against the 7.62x54 mm caliber used by the Russian sniper rifle Dragunov or the Russian 7.62x63 mm ammunitions. The al-Masmak is designed to be used basically as armoured vehicle personnel carrier but the vehicle can be adapted for a variety of roles. With a maximum payload of 2,000 kg, the vehicle is able to perform missions as armoured personnel carrier, battlefield ambulance, command vehicle and weapon platform up to a caliber of 25mm. According to Mister Mohammed Al-Mutairy three countries of the Middle East are showing interest for the vehicle.


Variants
AL-MASMAK versions include Personnel Carriers, Command & Control, Ambulance, Boarders Patrolling, Anti-Hijacking, and can be adapted to any client specific requirements.


Technical Data

Armament
The Al-Masmak is equipped with a state of the art complete protected turret mounted at the top of front hull, armed with a 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine gun including day and night aiming capabilities as well as 4 smoke grenade launchers mounted to the left side of the turret. The vehicle can be also armed with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher or a remote weapon station armed with weapons up to a 25mm caliber

Design and protection
The layout of the Masmak is similar to standard APC with the engine at the front, crew are in the middle and soldiers compartment at the rear. The driver and the commander seats are on the front of the vehicle, and eight troops are carried in the rear compartment, one seated back of the driver, one in the turret, three seated on the left side and three seated on the right side of the hull, on individual seats with a full harness seat belt. The Al-Masmak is based on a monocoque hull design to increase protection against mine blast. Two large bulletproof windows are provide for the front and four small bulletproof windows on each side of the troops compartment with one individual firing port at the lower part and these provide the same degree of protection as the steel hull. The infantrymen enter and leave the Al-Masmak via a double door in the rear of the hull, which opens outwards. One single hatch is available at the rear of the top soldier’s compartment. AL-MASMAK is the first worldwide 4X4 armored personnel carrier tested (In South Africa and Saudi Arabia) up to STANAG 4569 level 4A & 4B mines resistant levels (double anti-tank mine -14 kg of TNT under the hull), (triple anti-tank mine - 21 kg of TNT under any wheel), (50 kg of TNT at 5m all-around of the vehicle) and all around ballistics protection up to STANAG 4569 level 3 (7.62 54mm API 890 m/s and 7.62 63mm AP 830 m/s). The vehicle can defeat firing of small arms 12.7mm caliber all-around.

Propulsion
AL-MASMAK is motorized with a very powerful 450 HP diesel engine with a high torque of 1695 N.M and a governed speed of 2200 RPM. The vehicle is equipped with a full automatic gearbox with The Al-Masmak MRAP can reach a maximum road speed of 150 km/h and 39 HP/Ton power to weight ratio with a maximum cruising range of 700 km which can be extended to 1,200 km. AL-MASMAK capabilities include excellent maneuverability and grade ability up to 70% in forward and 60% on reverse and a 420mm ground clearance as well as up to 1 meter water fording.



Accessories
AL-MASMAK can carry fully equipped nine soldiers including gunner in addition to the driver and commander (Total 11). AL-MASMAK standard specifications includes a 48,000 BTU Air-Conditioning System, 2 Extract Ventilation Ports, Central Tire Inflating System CIT, Global Positioning System GPS, Radio Integration, Engine, Crew Cabinet, Night Drive Capability, Tires Fire Extinguishing System, Siren and Strobe Lights, Towing Bars, and self-recovery Winch.

Specifications

Armament
Remote weapon station or turret with 12.7 mm machine gun

Country users
Ready for production

Designer Country
Saudi Arabia

Accessories
Air-Conditioning System, 2 Extract Ventilation Ports, Central Tire Inflating System CIT, Global Positioning System GPS, Radio Integration, Engine, Crew Cabinet, Night Drive Capability, Tires Fire Extinguishing System, Siren and Strobe Lights, Towing Bars, and self-recovery Winch.

Crew
2 + 9 soldiers

Armor
STANAG 4569 level 4A & 4B mines resistant levels, all around ballistics protection up to STANAG 4569 level 3

Weight
13,000 kg
Speed
150 km/h

Range
700 km (can be extended to 1,200 km)

Dimensions
Lenght, 5,7 m; Width, 2,6 m; Height, 2,45 m

Details View

 

Al Fahd Armoured Vehicle, Saudi Arabia

 

New AN-132

 

Saudi UAV by PSTARI
http://www.***************/pictures/data/3214/Saudi_UAV.jpg

Luna X 2000 unmanned aerial vehicle




Saudi Science Agency Produces UAS

 

Defence companies of Saudi Arabia

Abdallah Al Faris Company for Heavy Industries
is one of the main suppliers of arms to the Saudi Arabian Army.It has created the Al-Fahd and the Al-Faris 8-400.

Advanced Electronics Company Limited (AECL)
established in 1988. AEC is specialised in advanced electronics research and manufacturing for defense and communication among others. The goal of AEC is to create local capabilities in strategic areas like advanced manufacturing technologies, communication systems, and product support. In 2006 it signed an agreement with Acer to manufacture personal computers as part of the Saudi governments programme to make PCs affordable to its population

Prince Sultan Advanced Technology Research Institute (PSATRI)
is an independent scientific organization of the Saudi government, located in the College of Engineering[4] at King Saud University in the capital city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It has a branch office located in the Business Gate[5] in addition to manufacturing lab and testing sites.
PSATRI comprises several specialized research labs:

1. Communications and Networking Lab is involved in research, education and scholarly activities in the area of communications and networking.
2. Signal and Image processing Lab is to provide solutions focusing on two target areas: Radarsignal processing and Satellite imaging.
3. Microwave, Antenna and Radar System Lab performs design, analysis, optimization, fabrication and characterization of miniaturized RF and microwave components and devices based on new breakthroughs in microwave theory and techniques.
4. Electro-Optics Lab aims to engage in design, manufacturing and testing infrared and electro-optical sensors, focal plane arrays and camera systems.
5. Autonomous Vehicles Lab aims at building indigenous capabilities in the field of unmanned autonomous systems(UAS). Current lab activities span several areas such as flight control units, communication systems, ground control systems and various payloads such as gyro stabilized platforms.
6. Center for Applied Research in Electronic Warfare intends to provide a scientific and technological Electronic warfare capability in order to improve the degree of operational readiness and render effective and efficient support to RSAF.

Military Industries Corporation (Saudi Arabia)
is a state-owned enterprise in Saudi Arabia. Based in Riyadh, it runs armament factories in the nation, and develops Saudi Arabia’s military base through research and development and technology transfer.

MIC seeks to accommodate the needs and requirements of Saudi Arabia’s military sectors, acquiring technologies and building up military industries that are capable of keeping up with advancements in the Armed Forces. Its strategy includes:

1. Recruiting, developing and retaining a national work force. By agreement with the Ministry of Education it has awarded scholarships to 5,000 engineering students, who enter employment with the Corporation upon graduation.
2. Managing and developing MIC factories and plants.
3. Achieving integration among MIC, the military sectors and government agencies.
4. Cooperating with private sector entities, internally and externally, especially in the field of joint manufacturing.
5. Conducting research in collaboration with national and international universities and research centers; enabling technology transfer among these institutes, and establishing its own research centers.

SELEX Galileo (Saudi Arabia)
is a subsidiary of defence electronics company Selex ES.[1] It was launched by the predecessor of Selex ES, SELEX Galileo, on March 15, 2010.

 

Turbines

 

SMART nuclear reactor

 

karem-25

 

Saudi Arabia
Alsalam builds F-15 parts
22 July 2013



In a major breakthrough, the Riyadh-based Alsalam Aircraft Company has made the first spare parts for the F-15 jet fighters, the company announced here Sunday.
“This is the first time an aviation project of this scale has been established in the Kingdom and we anticipate this will set the stage for additional assembly and manufacturing work that continues to provide high technology jobs for Saudi nationals,” Mohammed N. Fallatah, Alsalam’s president and CEO, said.
Alsalam company has entered a new phase in the company’s 25-year history with their first manufactured component loaded onto Boeing’s F-15 strike fighter.
On July 1 , Alsalam provided the easier explanation of what is to be supplied to be integrated on the RSAF’s F-15S. The delivery marks a milestone for the contract awarded by Boeing in June 2012 for Alsalam to assemble the new wings and forward fuselage sections for the conversion of the F-15S to the F-15SA configuration.
“Over the past 12 months, Alsalam has been undergoing intensive preparations for the loading of the first component piece into the assembly tooling,” Fallatah said. “This marks the transition from conventional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activity on commercial and military airplanes to a position of creating added value with the assembly of large aircraft components.”
Immediately after signing the F-15SA wing and forward fuselage contract last year the company moved into action assigning a leadership team and developing the project plan that included extensive training.
The training has been intensive both out of country and at the Alsalam facility where new classrooms were built to validate the skills in preparation for the assembly work. With the loading of the first assembly fixture this week, the company begins the process of validating the skills and training during First Article Qualification (FAQ). The FAQ is a rigorous process to ensure the subsequent shipsets of wings and forward fuselages are all built to the detailed specifications and all the components are assembled correctly.
“This was part of the vision for Alsalam when the company was established 25 years ago and, as the company is able to demonstrate world-class performance we will be able to add more high-value work content to our portfolio of capabilities,” Fallatah added.
Alsalam has achieved a Saudization rate of 56 percent and seeks to increase this rate as new contracts are awarded. The target for new programs is set at no less than 60 percent Saudis.
When it comes to aircraft maintenance, modification and technical support in the Middle East, Alsalam Aircraft Company is the pioneer in the industry.
It offers comprehensive services for commercial, corporate, VIP, and military customers worldwide. Its expertise covers civil aircraft maintenance, military aircraft maintenance, programmed depot maintenance (PDM), technical support programs (TSP), manufacturing and assembly, and VIP interior completions in addition to specialized aviation training.
Alsalam is a certified and approved repair station by major aviation authorities locally and internationally as a Part 145 Organization. It is also the only designated warranty center for Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) in the Middle East and North Africa region.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/458786

 

l Salam’s F-15SR program

F-15 SA Front fuselage



F-15 SA wings