Leonardo DRS, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Defense Agree to Expand Collaboration

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) to explore opportunities for MOD ground combat vehicles and dismounted forces in support of the country’s Vision 2030 defense modernization roadmap.

The MOI was signed in Washington, D.C. following announcement of the United States of America’s Strategic Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia. Signing for Leonardo DRS was Bill Guyan, the company’s Senior Vice President, Business Development and President, International Business. Eng. Khalid Al-Jawini, Director of Projects for Procurement for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense, signed for the MOD under the oversight of H.E. Dr. Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs.

The MOI identifies prospective opportunities to collaborate in areas where Leonardo DRS is an industry leader in combat-proven, advanced network computing and combat computing capabilities, including:

• High-performance battle management systems providing digital command-and-control tools to give crews real-time awareness, communication, and coordination capabilities on the battlefield.
• Advanced C6ISR solutions for units at the brigade level and below to support faster decision-making, provide a broader understanding of the battlefield, deliver network protection, and increase the gathering and sharing of critical intelligence capabilities.
• Rugged vehicle computing hardware Multi-Function Rugged Displays, and other high-performance, high-performance computing solutions.
• Advanced Vehicle Communication Systems for enhanced command and control while ensuring reliable combat vehicle-based communication.
• Advanced mobile situational awareness capabilities for special forces and dismounted soldiers that network sensors and communications.
• Vehicle integration and engineering services to support in-country integration teams with complex modernization programs across the Saudi MOD vehicle fleet.

“By signing this MOI, Leonardo DRS is reinforcing its commitment to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with its cutting-edge battlespace communications architecture and vehicle integration services that will deliver a more connected, protected, and combat effective land force,” Guyan said. “As a trusted provider of advanced defense technology for the U.S. military and allied militaries around the world, we are proud of the opportunity to potentially expand our relationship in supporting the efforts of Saudi Arabia to advance its national defense strategy.”

This MOI aligns with Leonardo DRS’ broader strategy to grow its presence in the Middle East and expand industrial cooperation in the region. It builds on the company’s Memorandum of Agreement with SAMI Advanced Electronics Company for localization of rugged vehicle hardware to support Vision 2030’s goals of growing local industrial capability and enhancing the Kingdom’s defense readiness.