A virtual workshop aimed at developing and localizing 21 military technologies, emerging from 7 specialized segments

Today, Sunday, GAMI organized the first virtual workshop on R&T with its partners from the military and security entities in the Kingdom. Titled "Contribution of R&D in Defense Sector to achieving Vision2030". The workshop discussed the most important developments in R&T with the relevant entities and the work being done to build national capabilities by strengthening the national system for research, development and innovation in the Sector. Also, R&T’s role in Coordinating functions, unifying efforts, stimulating the process of developing human capital, and working with the relevant entities to align educational outcomes with the Sector's needs were discussed. As the Authority seeks to increase the contribution of locally built products based on R&D in military spending in the Kingdom to achieve the goals of Vision2030.

Military Industry Sector Deputy Governor Gasem Al-Maimani emphasized the Authority's commitment to ensuring conducting its work and activating its roles in the Sector despite the pandemic affecting the Kingdom and the world at large. He mentioned that the Authority was able to organize the first virtual workshop on R&T, which was attended by about 40 representatives from the relevant governmental entities.

Al-Maimani added: The military R&T Sector is one of the 3 strategic pillars of the Sector in the Kingdom. These pillars are: Military Acquisition, Military Industry, and Military R&T. “At GAMI, we seek to guide the research in the Sector by supporting, coordinating, and integrating the efforts of ecosystem components from Research Centers and Universities, as well as industrial companies and other related entities. Al-Maimani also stressed that the Authority, in cooperation with its partners, has been able to identify 21 targeted military technologies that will be localized and developed over the next five years through the R&T Sector strategy, which will be announced soon.

Military R&T GM Dr. Hatim Beheiry shared that the Authority has made great efforts in coordinating with the relevant entities in implementing military R&T programs to ensure the success of the ecosystem as a whole, as well as engaging with academic and training entities concerned with developing competencies in the Sector by creating specialized educational and training programs.

Dr. Beheiry concluded his address by saying: "Through this workshop with the end-users from the relevant entities and with the participation of our partners from Government agencies, the most important research activities are targeted to support and grow the military R&T ecosystem. We are also able to introduce the targeted and priority military R&T areas." He emphasized the 21 technologies that the R&T strategy aims to develop and localize. Moreover, he clarified that the 7 areas are: Electro-Optics, Directed Energy, Radar, Radio Communications, Cybersecurity Technologies, Electromagnetic Weapons, and Artificial Intelligence.

It should be noted that the attendees included representatives from the Presidency of State Security, the Presidency of the Royal Guard and the Presidency of General Intelligence as well as the Ministries of Defense, Interior and National Guard as they are the outputs of the Sector. The Authority will also organize several workshops geared to meet with all the beneficiaries, investors and interested parties in the military R&T ecosystem to advance and harmonize the outputs of R&T’s plans.