Saudi Arabia Military Industries (SAMI) and Embraer, the Brazilian defense giant, have announced plans to collaborate in the defense and security-related aerospace sector. The partnership will focus on Embraer’s C-390 transporter and aims to expand both companies’ presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The agreement includes establishing a maintenance facility for Embraer aircraft and exploring opportunities for a regional MRO hub, a final assembly line for the C-390, and mission system integration. The collaboration aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to localize 50% of defense production in the Kingdom. It also signifies Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its defense logistics beyond the United States.
The CEO of SAMI, Walid Abukhaled, emphasized the importance of joint training activities to develop Saudi talents and transfer skills in the aerospace sector. Bosco da Costa Junior, CEO of Embraer’s defense and security division, highlighted that this collaboration is the first step in advancing defense and security cooperation between the two countries. Ryan Bohl, Senior Middle East and North Africa Analyst at the RANE Network, stated that the partnership offers Saudi Arabia an alternative to American heavy lifters and the potential for technical know-how and a less politicized supply chain. This agreement with SAMI is the first of its scale between Embraer and a Gulf country. Brazilian firms, known for their neutrality in global conflicts, have attracted interest from Gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates.
While competition between KSA and UAE in Brazil is possible in the future, Bohl believes that their ties to the Brazilian defense industry are currently nuanced and different enough to avoid immediate concerns of undercutting each other.