RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is launching a new national military academy to address skills gap in the industry, a top official told a conference in Riyadh. The academy is part of a new strategy to create more jobs for Saudis, and strengthen the national military and defense industry, according to governor of the General Authority for Military Industries. The authority, known as GAMI, aims to empower Saudi workforces through the development of training programs, and establishing a national academy that focuses on more than 800 skills required in the sector, from which 172 job fields emerge, Ahmad Al-Ohali said. The move aims to achieve the vision’s target of localizing 50 percent of government spending on Military equipment and services by 2030. GAMI launched the manpower strategy on Feb 5, in Riyadh, in the presence of ministries and high officials from the public and private sectors.