Security, Aerospace & Defence

Saudi Arabia’s defence expenditure was the sixth highest worldwide in 2021, behind the US, China, India, Russia and the UK. The localisation of industry, and enhanced research and development are core to Vision 2030, the government’s long-term blueprint for development. Given the defence sector’s traditional prominence in the annual budget, it is among the areas targeted to propel the upskilling of the national workforce and create more jobs. Defence-related business forms a key component of Saudi Arabia’s close economic relationship with the US. While more deals have been signed recently between the two nations, the Kingdom’s drive to expand the industry has led it to broaden its portfolio of strategic partnerships and attract international security, aerospace and defence manufacturing entities to establish operations on Saudi soil.