Report: Saudi Arabia Boosts Local Manufacturing of THAAD Components

Saudi Arabia has produced the first locally made parts for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile launcher, as part of a partnership with Lockheed Martin to boost Riyadh’s domestic manufacturing.

The achievement was announced during a meeting in Jeddah between the initiative’s partners, Lockheed Martin, the Saudi General Authority for Military Industries, and the Arabian International Company for Steel Structures (AIC).

During the meeting, defense officials and industry representatives reviewed progress in producing Missile Round Pallets-Transportable for the THAAD system.

“Lockheed Martin has been an excellent partner in providing the tools and training necessary to prepare and ultimately advance the localized production of such a major component of the THAAD Weapon System,” said AIC Steel President Wasim Attieh.

Features

The THAAD is a US-made missile defense system designed to intercept short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

It is capable of operating both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

In March 2022, the system was successfully integrated with the PAC-3 MSE interceptor, expanding engagement range and operational flexibility.

Boosting Defense

Saudi Arabia is investing heavily to boost local defense production while continuing to rely on US arms imports.

Under Vision 2030, Riyadh is encouraging foreign defense firms to establish a local presence and support the goal of localizing 50 percent of defense spending through domestic manufacturing and services.

Last month, the US State Department approved a $3.5-billion sale of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles to Saudi Arabia.

In March, Washington cleared a $100-million deal for up to 2,000 APKWS II laser-guided munitions for Riyadh.