Saudi Arabia Partners with Navantia to Forge a New Era of Naval Power
In the esteemed presence and support of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense, alongside Her Excellency Mrs. Reyes Maroto Illera, Spain’s Minister of Industry, the Ministry of Defense and the General Authority for Military Industries inked a memorandum of understanding with the Spanish firm Navantia to procure and construct several multi-mission combat vessels for the Royal Saudi Naval Force.
The memorandum was finalized by His Excellency Dr. Khaled bin Hussein Al-Bayari, Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs, with Eng. Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI, representing the Authority, and Mr. Ricardo Domínguez García-Baquero, the CEO and Chairman of Navantia, representing the Spanish enterprise.
This MoU is designed to elevate the operational readiness of the RSNF, thus enhancing maritime security within the region, safeguarding the vital and strategic interests of the Kingdom, and backing the strategic, operational, and tactical objectives of the Ministry of Defense. Aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the MoU seeks to encourage the localization of up to 100% in naval shipbuilding, combat systems integration, and ship maintenance. Furthermore, it will focus on the integration of combat systems in new vessels, system design and engineering, hardware creation, software development, testing and verification systems, prototyping and simulation, logistical assistance, as well as training program development.
On this occasion, HE Dr. Khaled Al-Bayari reiterated that this MoU with the Spanish firm aligns with the directives of HRH Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, aimed at enhancing the preparedness of the armed forces, sustaining systems, and promoting the localization of military industries while maximizing the utilization of local assets. He emphasized that this event holds significant importance for the Ministry of Defense and marks a pivotal moment in our collaboration with Navantia, as it aims to strengthen the naval capabilities of the RSNF, improve joint operations among all security and military entities, and foster a sustainable local military industrial sector while enhancing transparency and spending efficiency.
Moreover, HE Eng. Ahmed Al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI, stated: “This MoU accelerates the localization processes within the military industrial sector by meeting the Kingdom’s vision objectives to localize over 50% of total military expenditures by 2030. This initiative enables the nation to achieve its national priorities by bolstering strategic independence, all while developing a sustainable local military industrial sector to enhance the establishment of local industrial capabilities and diverse supply chains, as well as the localization of human resources.”
He further commented that the MoU emerges under the guidance of prudent leadership to fortify the Kingdom’s global standing in the military industries sector, particularly due to its strategic geographic location bridging three continents, thereby presenting an optimal investment destination in this domain.
Mr. Ricardo Domínguez García-Baquero highlighted his satisfaction in finalizing the MoU with the Ministry of Defense, following the successful completion of the initial project, the “Sarawat Project,” which signifies a pivotal advancement for both Navantia and the RSNF. He reflected on the demanding delivery timeline of the first project, which played a crucial role in restoring the confidence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Navantia, as two of the project’s vessels, “HMS Jubail” and “HMS Diriyah,” were successfully commissioned. García-Baquero expressed that the project vessels are distinguished by their incorporation of cutting-edge combat systems designed to address all aerial, surface, and subsurface threats, marking them as some of the most advanced globally. He also reaffirmed the firm’s dedication to transferring technology to Saudi engineers and contributing towards the localization of the Kingdom’s technical competencies.
The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency the Chief of Staff General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, His Excellency Vice Admiral Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghufaili, the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, as well as His Excellency Ambassador Jorge Hevia Sierra from Spain, Deputy Defense Minister for Procurement and Armament Ibrahim Bin Ahmed Al Suwayed, and Mr. Mohammad Saleh Al-Athel, Deputy Governor of Military Acquisition at GAMI.
