Spanish shipbuilder and systems integrator Navantia has partnered with Advanced Electronics Company (AEC), a SAMI company, to boost technology development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
NAVANTIA is a state-owned company widely experienced in ship design, construction, and integration of surface combatants, submarines, naval auxiliaries, and associated systems for the naval and merchant market, and is the designer and builder of five Avante 2200 corvettes for Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). AEC is focused on developing, designing, manufacturing, selling, and supporting military systems and is a strategic partner of RSNF.
The two companies will explore potential collaboration related to the maintenance and overhaul of Navantia systems and new business opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
To launch this cooperation, Navantia and AEC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during their attendance at World Defense Show (WDS) which took place in Riyadh this week (6-9 March).
“We are proud to materialize our commitment to increasing localization in our relationship with RSNF,” said Navantia’s Vice president for Systems and Services, Donato Martínez.
“The agreement will bolster our strategic partnership with Navantia and solidify our long-lasting relationship with RSNF as we continue to explore similar collaborations, cementing SAMI Advanced Electronics’ presence as a key enabler of Saudi Vision 2030 goals through enhancing the company’s capabilities and increasing local content,” said CEO of Advanced Electronics Company, Eng. Ziad Al Musallam.
This MoU represents a further step in the relationship between Navantia and SAMI. Both companies have created a joint venture to develop, integrate and market the first Saudi Combat System: HAZEM. The already fully operational company, called SAMI-Navantia, was awarded a significant contract in September 2019 for the supply and integration of the combat system of the five Avante 2200 corvettes currently under construction for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces.
SAMI Navantia employs more than 30 Saudi people. The Saudi engineers with direct participation in the Avante 2200 Corvettes project are deployed in Spain during the duration of the program and will become the backbone of the ship’s support in the Kingdom. The capability and skills developed in the Avante program will also benefit the future naval projects of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces and the international programs where both companies are already cooperating.
The Spanish shipbuilder Navantia is a world reference in the design, construction, and integration of state-of-the-art warships and ship repairs & modernizations. It is also engaged in the design and manufacture of Integrated Platform Management Systems, Fire Control Systems, Command and Control systems, Propulsion Plants and through life support for all its products. Even though its main line of activity is in the naval field, Navantia designs and manufactures systems for the Army and the Air Force.
NAVANTIA belongs to Grupo SEPI, a corporate holding which is made up by a total of 15 state-owned companies in which it has a direct majority shareholding participation and which employ more than 78,000 professionals. It also has a foundation and direct minority participations in a further nine companies and indirect participations in more than one hundred companies.
Established in 1988 and headquartered in Riyadh, Advanced Electronics Company (AEC) is a leader in the electronics, technology, and manufacturing industries. The company designs, develops, manufactures, maintains, and repairs advanced systems and products in the defense and aerospace, information and communications technology, security, and energy sectors.
AEC has established a firm position in Saudi Arabia’s military sector for more than three decades. The company employs more than 2,200 employees, 85% of whom are Saudis, including over 800 highly skilled and certified male and female engineers working in various fields.
