Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense, was briefed Friday on the advanced technologies in the aviation and air defense sectors as well as missiles technologies and satellite communications of Lockheed Martin company. This came during a visit to Lockheed Martin companys headquarters in the Silicon Valley in the US city of San Francisco where he was received by the conglomerates President and Chief Executive Officer Ms. Marillyn Hewson, and Lockheed Martins top executives. The Crown Prince was briefed on the high-tech air defense THAAD system, the technologies purchase and localization of which are currently being negotiated by the Kingdom. The presentation included the companys plans to establish a research and development center in the Kingdom in cooperation with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). The command, control and communications systems, the technologies of which will be transferred and totally localized in the Kingdom, were also displayed. The Crown Prince also saw firsthand the powerful and innovative satellites being built for KACST and Arabsat, the first of its kind and most precise and efficient. He also met the young Saudi engineers who have worked side-by-side with Lockheed Martin engineers to transfer and localize satellite building and manufacturing technology, conduct functional and environmental test skills as well as the efforts being exerted to build Saudi Arabia’s future space industry, increase the economic opportunities and create jobs throughout the Kingdom. The Saudi first communications satellite will provide high and advanced capabilities for the wide zone (Ka-Band), an achievement that will secure for the military, security and civil sectors a space network including visual communications, internet, telephone and secure communications, to cover the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The satellites are slated for delivery by the end of this year. Bin Salman met with Chairman and Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin Marleen Huston and discussed chances to cement industrial and military cooperation. During the meeting, they reviewed domains of bilateral partnership, especially in military industries, in addition to chances of bolstering bilateral relations. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Saudi Military Industries Company Ahmed Al-Khateeb and Advisor at the Royal Court and General Supervisor of the Minister of Defenses office Fahd Al-Isa.