Saudi Arabia lures in Turkey’s defense giants as its military industry grows

Analysis

Francesco Schiavi

Aug 10, 2024

Royal Saudi Air Force Panavia Tornado and F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft fly over during an airshow marking Saudi Arabia's 93rd National Day celebrations in Riyadh on September 23, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images) — Royal Saudi Air Force Panavia Tornado and F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft fly over during an airshow marking Saudi Arabia's 93rd National Day celebrations in Riyadh on September 23, 2023. — FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

July was instrumental in Saudi Arabia's burgeoning defense cooperation with Turkey, with high-level visits by Saudi and Turkish officials. Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Defense Minister Yasar Guler in Ankara, and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan toured the country a week later.

These visits paved the way for significant cooperation agreements in the defense industry, marking new progress in Saudi-Turkish cooperative efforts in the sector. On July 4, Saudi state-owned defense company SAMI inked three memoranda of understanding with Turkish companies Baykar, Aselsan and Fergani to localize Saudi defense industries. Ten days later, the kingdom joined the buyer list for Turkish defense company and automotive manufacturer Otokar's Cobra II armored vehicles.

In recent years, economic relations between the two countries experienced significant growth, marked by a substantial increase in mutual trade and investment and the commissioning of various projects, including in the defense sector. In 2023, the bilateral trade volume between Riyadh and Ankara reached $6.8 billion, with exports rising by 150% from $2.62 billion from the previous year. This positive trend has some Turkish policy-makers optimistic that 2024 will be a golden year for Turkish-Saudi economic relations.

Saudi defense industry