Saudi Arabia partners with US, Turkey for new military tech firms

Saudi Technology Development and Investment Company (Taqnia) has signed deals with major global companies to set up five firms that will transfer advanced technologies in the fields of military and civil aircraft, satellites, radars, and clean energy to the kingdom.

The deals were inked through its subsidiaries and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Taqnia said, without mentioning values for the firms.

One project is a Saudi joint venture (JV) between United States-based Sikorsky Aircraft and Taqnia Aeronautics Co., which will manufacture multi-purpose Black Hawk helicopters.

Turkey’s Aselsan Partners and Taqnia's Defense and Security Technologies of Saudi Arabia (DST) have also teamed up to launch a new JV that will focus on radars, electronic warfare, and electro-optical technology. Both parties will each hold a 50 percent stake. State-controlled Aselsan is Turkey’s largest defense firm. 

The deals also include a JV between Taqnia Aeronautics and the Ukrainian Antonov, which will manufacture medium and heavy cargo aircraft.

In addition, United States’ Soraa has partnered with Taqnia to set up a JV that will manufacture and market LED lamps.

Meanwhile, KACST has partnered with Digital Globe, a global leader in earth imagery, to develop six or more sub-meter resolution imaging satellites. The Saudi side will own 50 percent of the satellites’ imaging capacity in the kingdom and the surrounding region, while DigitalGlobe will have rights to the other 50 percent of the capacity inside this region.