Saudi Arabian Military Industries, widely known as SAMI, used the recently concluded World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh to signal a dramatic acceleration of its strategy to build a sovereign national defense industry. The third edition of the biennial event, held outside the Saudi capital, grew by nearly 60 percent compared to its inaugural edition in 2022, reflecting the Kingdom’s rising stature on the global defense stage.
From Buyer to Builder
One of the most telling details at this year’s show was the Saudi national flag displayed on several foreign defense platforms, a visual cue that observers say could presage significant future co-production deals. The message from Riyadh was unmistakable: Saudi Arabia is no longer content to simply purchase military hardware from abroad. It intends to design, develop, and manufacture defense systems at home.
SAMI’s CEO has outlined an ambitious push to deliver on the company’s 2030 strategy, which aims to anchor a sustainable national defense ecosystem. The PIF-owned company is working to localize production across multiple domains, from armored vehicles and unmanned systems to advanced electronics and cybersecurity platforms.
Landmark Deals at WDS 2026
The show produced a wave of agreements that underscored Saudi Arabia’s defense ambitions. Among the most notable was a deal with Turkey’s ULAQ Global to localize unmanned surface vessel production in the Kingdom, establishing a framework for the design, development, production, system integration, and maintenance of drone boats on Saudi soil.
Counter-drone systems and large armored vehicles dominated the exhibition floor, reflecting the evolving nature of modern warfare and the Kingdom’s focus on both conventional and asymmetric threats. International defense giants from across Europe, North America, and Asia showcased their latest platforms, many of them tailored to Saudi operational requirements.
A Pillar of Vision 2030
The defense industrial push is a cornerstone of Vision 2030’s economic diversification agenda. Saudi Arabia aims to localize more than 50 percent of military spending by the end of the decade, a target that would channel tens of billions of dollars into domestic manufacturing, research and development, and high-skilled employment. The growth of the World Defense Show itself, from a newcomer event to one of the world’s most significant defense exhibitions in just three editions, mirrors the pace of the Kingdom’s broader industrial transformation.
