As the world’s third largest importer of military hardware, Saudi Arabia has created a dedicated body – the General Authority for Military Industries – to increase the country’s current 5% contribution to meeting its own military equipment requirements, improving national self-reliance and potentially boosting everything from balance of trade to private and public sector employment. 

The Authority looks to work with related bodies from governments, academia, the private sector and others, domestically and internationally, to develop the skills and infrastructure necessary for a domestic productive base, taking account of – and capitalizing on - the substantial overlap between military and civilian applications.