Saudi Arabia"s Ministry of Defense and the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Spanish Navantia Co. to acquire and build a number of multi-mission combat ships for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). The deal was signed in the presence of Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman and Spain"s Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism María Reyes Maroto. The MoU aims to raise the level of readiness of the RSNF to enhance maritime security in the region, protect the vital and strategic interests of Saudi Arabia, and support the operational and tactical goals of the Ministry of Defense. The agreement stipulated that the Spanish company would localize up to 100% of naval shipbuilding, integration of combat systems, and ship maintenance, in line with the Kingdom"s objectives and Vision 2030. The MoU focuses on integrating combat systems into new navy vessels, systems design and engineering, hardware design, software development, testing, verification systems, prototyping, and simulation, as well as logistical support and training program design. Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs Dr. Khalid Al-Bayari confirmed that this memorandum of understanding comes within the vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to create a base for advanced marine industries in the Kingdom, as well as in accordance with the directives of Prince Khalid with the aim of raising the readiness of Saudi Arabia"s armed forces, sustaining systems, localizing military industries, and maximizing the use of local content. For his part, Governor of GAMI Eng. Ahmed Al-Ohali said, "This memorandum promotes the march of localization in the military industries sector by achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s vision to localize more than 50% of the total military spending by 2030, which will enable it to achieve the national priorities represented in strengthening the strategic independence of the Kingdom, in addition to developing a sustainable local military industries sector that enhances the building of local industrial capabilities and various supply chains, in addition to the localization of human cadres." President and CEO of the Spanish company of Navantia Ricardo Domínguez Garcia-Baquero expressed his happiness over the signing of the MOU with the Saudi ministry to build a number of multi-tasking combat ships, after the success of the first project, the "Sarawat" , which is a qualitative leap for Navantia and the RSNF. — SPA