This strategic partnership reflects the collective commitment of all parties to building a sustainable defense industrial base that contributes to enhancing operational readiness.
In Kingdom Final Assembly Program is considered one of the most prominent strategic initiatives within this cooperation. IKFA program was launched in 2017 at the SBDCP facility at King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Province, where His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, inaugurated the first advanced Hawk jet aircraft to be assembled, with a number of its components manufactured locally by Saudi nationals. Aircraft number 22 was delivered during the previous World Defense Show, under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense. The event highlighted the achievements of the IKFA Programme and its importance in strengthening defense manufacturing capabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
local manufacture
Employment
Saudization Rate
IKFA has also contributed to the local manufacture of 33,000 internal and external aircraft components, produced in collaboration with 25 Saudi companies within the local supply chain. This underscores the vital role of BAE Systems, in cooperation with SBDCP, in enabling national talent and transferring technical expertise, reflecting significant progress in the journey of national capability building. IKFA has played an effective role in the transfer and localisation of technologies and manufacturing capabilities, while providing extensive opportunities for the employment and training of national talent, supporting the efforts to achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. In addition to its industrial and human capital impact, IKFA has delivered a strategic outcome by establishing a comprehensive legislative reference for implementing local aircraft assembly projects and completing the necessary regulations for certification and airworthiness approval, thereby laying a solid regulatory foundation for future projects.
According to data from GAMI, the military industries sector in KSA is witnessing significant growth in employment opportunities and capacity building. The sector currently employs more than 34,000 direct employees within the defense industrial ecosystem and features a Saudisation rate of approximately 63% among direct staff, reflecting the scale of transformation in national talent across the sector. In this context, BAE Systems represents a practical model of this transformation, employing more than 7,000 male and female employees in KSA, of whom 80% are Saudi nationals. Through its cooperation with the SBDCP, BAE Systems has contributed to the transfer of technical and engineering expertise, supporting operational sustainability and enabling national cadres in the areas of assembly, inspection, quality assurance, and flight testing.
This cooperation also embodies a successful model of international partnership in the development of the sector, building on prior experience under the Tornado programme, which contributed to the introduction of more than 100 repair capabilities to local companies and the empowerment of more than 550 Saudi employees, and the establishment of maintenance facilities within bases across KSA to support the maintenance of more than 400 components. By working side by side with BAE Systems engineers, Saudi engineers and technicians acquired advanced expertise in the operations of maintenance, inspection, quality assurance, and flight testing, accelerating the growth of national capabilities in the defense and aviation sector and enhancing self-reliance in operating and maintaining these aircraft to international standards.
Alongside industrial localisation efforts, SBDCP and BAE Systems continue to support training programmes for Saudi pilots in the Royal Saudi Air Force through King Faisal Air Academy, while also providing specialised academic pathways through the Air Force Technical Studies Institute. These initiatives focus on preparing pilots and technical support personnel through an integrated system that combines practical training and an accredited academic qualification, ensuring the sustainability of technical and operational readiness.
Within a unified vision to develop capabilities across multiple defense domains, BAE Systems supports naval manufacturing pathways, transfers engineering expertise, and qualifies national cadres in cooperation with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces through the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Technical Studies Institute. This enhances the readiness of the naval sector and promotes the localisation of defense maritime industries, following the successes achieved in the aviation domain.
This collaboration includes the localisation of 25 naval capabilities in maintenance and repair, ensuring knowledge transfer and the localisation of industries within the naval sector. As this momentum continues, confidence is further strengthened in IKFA’s role in supporting KSA’s defense capabilities and in building a globally competitive national industrial base, contributing to the achievement of Saudi Vision 2030 objectives and laying the foundations for long-term national security.