The Saudi pavilion organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) concluded its participation Thursday at the Athens International Defense and Security Exhibition (DEFEA), which took place over three days in Greece. The exhibition attracted a significant number of visitors and featured extensive global participation.
The Saudi participation achieved a remarkable presence that exemplified its leading role in the global military industries sector, aligning with its future aspirations both regionally and internationally. In addition to GAMI, the Saudi pavilion featured the General Authority for Defense Development (GADD) and the Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI).
During the Saudi pavilion’s participation in the exhibition, GAMI Governor Eng. Ahmad Al-Ohali met with General Director for Defense Investments and Armaments in Greece Major General Ioannis Bouras.
The meeting focused on exploring avenues for mutual cooperation and discussing promising opportunities to establish strategic partnerships that would benefit Saudi Arabia and Greece's shared interests in defense industries.
Al-Ohali held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the exhibition aimed at exploring avenues for cooperation and strengthening bilateral partnerships. He also met with senior executives and founding presidents of several major Greek and international companies specializing in the defense and security industries.
Through its participation in the exhibition, GAMI sought to strengthen international partnerships in the military industries sector within the Kingdom, while also opening new avenues for cooperation in this vital field. GAMI showcased the key national industrial capabilities across various military domains, including air, naval, and land sectors, as well as weapon systems and defense electronics.
Additionally, GAMI provided a comprehensive overview of the attractive investment environment in the military industries sector, along with the latest developments in the Kingdom in this area, covering regulatory and developmental aspects, policies and legislation, incentives for investors, and the investor journey, all contributing to enhancing the Kingdom's strategic independence in military industries.
GADD highlighted its role in building and localizing defense capabilities while showcasing research cooperation projects and available opportunities in the Kingdom through its participation. GADD also demonstrated the role of its incubators and accelerators in supporting innovation and defense technologies. It introduced visitors to the "JADD" innovation platform, allowing innovators to submit and develop groundbreaking concepts in the defense domain.
SAMI showcased its latest innovations across its various divisions, including a mockup of the SAMI Land Industrial Complex (SLIC), a cutting-edge facility for advanced manufacturing and logistics of land system solutions. SAMI Advanced Electronics presented the Hema Surveillance System, which leverages AI technology for surveillance and reconnaissance across military applications. Meanwhile, SAMI Aerospace displayed its F-15SA Wing and Forward Fuselage, which is manufactured and assembled by SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries.
The Saudi pavilion’s participation at DEFEA highlighted the advanced technologies the Kingdom possesses in military industries. The country aims to localize 50% of military equipment and service spending by 2030.
