U.K., Saudi to Collaborate on Air Defense Capabilities, Drones & Missiles

The United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia on Monday announced the creation of a "Strategic Capability Partnership Committee," with a focus on developing cooperation in equipment and industry, research and development, and training.

A particular focus for planned collaboration will be land-based systems including air defense capabilities and armored vehicles, uncrewed aerial systems along with complex weapons including precision-guided missiles.

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and Minister for Defense Procurement, James Cartlidge, met their counterparts, Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and Talal Al-Otaibi, on the sidelines of the World Defense Show in Riyadh, a U.K. MoD release said.

The U.K., suffered a setback recently when Riyadh signed up to buy Rafale fighter jets following the denial of export rights for the Eurofighter Typhoon by Germany, though London was in favor of the sale to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has relied on the U.S. for air defense systems such as the Patriot and THAAD and for armored vehicles and drones on Turkey with which it signed a $3.1 billion deal late last year to buy some 20 Akinci armed drones. 

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps with Saudi Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud