Saudi Arabia is set to acquire up to 200 MQ-9 unmanned systems from General Atomics. The deal forms part of the over $2 trillion in investment commitments President Donald Trump announced during his Middle East tour.
In an interview with Breaking Defense, C. Mark Brinkley, spokesperson for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., said the deal could include MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian variants. He added that there is still no certainty over whether the transaction will be a foreign military sale or a direct commercial sale.
While the planned sale was disclosed during Trump’s visit to the region, GA-ASI and Saudi Arabia have been in discussion since February over the “biggest potential international deal” between the two, Brinkley told the publication. He said the investment agreement is expected to create about 46,000 new jobs in the United States.
Enhancing Defense Capabilities
While the deal contributes to the U.S. economy, Saudi Arabia is expected to gain improved airpower and surveillance capabilities with the new drone fleet.
According to Kristian Alexander, a senior fellow at the Rabdan Security and Defence Institute, the number of unmanned systems suggests that the Middle Eastern kingdom is planning other applications for the drones, including securing the border, countering regional threats, and developing a layered intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance strategy.
Meanwhile, Jacopo Maria Mazzucco, an independent researcher in Gulf security affairs, raised concerns over Riyadh’s MQ-9 drone acquisition, citing the system’s “relatively basic anti-air systems, which the Houthis have exploited to partially blunt U.S. air superiority.”