Leonardo signs MoU in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to expand collaboration in the aerospace and defence sector

In the framework of bilateral meetings between Italy and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia held today, the Ministry of Investment (MISA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) of the Kingdom and Leonardo announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to discuss, develop and evaluate a range of investment and collaboration opportunities further expanding the collaboration in the aerospace and defence sector.

This latest agreement leverages the MoU signed and announced in early 2024 which considered and explored multiple areas of collaboration to include space industry, airframe MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul), localisation of electronic warfare systems and radars and assembly of helicopters, a focus on Combat Air and Cross-Domain Integration fields, industrialisation processes and human capital development, national supply chain in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the country’s role for Leonardo in the region as well as the global value chain. Following the excellent results achieved implementing the agreement signed in 2024, the MoU signed today paves the path for a further expansion of the industrial collaboration in the Combat Air and helicopter fields.

There is an indissoluble thread linking the history of Italy with that of Leonardo. This began in the second half of the 19th century, and then, in the 20th century, during the country’s industrial development, it weaved the fabric of a history marked by innovation and made up of new discoveries, extraordinary projects and advanced production processes.

Formerly known as Finmeccanica, and since 2017 Leonardo, the company has embraced the legacy, systemic thinking and ingenuity of Leonardo da Vinci. Many of the areas (in terms of both analysis and execution) explored by Leonardo’s genius have turned out, over time, to offer inspiration and insight to the workers, technicians and engineers who, with their ideas and ambitions, lived through the industrial fortunes of the companies that later became part of the Group's history.

Leonardo SpA’s legacy is one of industrial vision, synergies built through participation in strategic international programmes, and continuous investment in research and in the people who work there. These people are guardians of a wealth of expertise, from shipbuilding to electronics, from mechanics to engineering, from aerospace to artificial intelligence and the new frontiers of supercomputing.

It is with them that the company is today creating a new ‘grammar of innovation’ to keep pace with the digital revolution. A mix of science and technology, invention and application, factories and skills, Leonardo’s is a legacy that, by its very nature, looks to the future and is one of which everyone, every day, is a witness.

Over decades, Leonardo has been supplying to the Kingdom platforms, systems, technologies and services including passenger transport, energy support and rescue rotorcraft, electronic systems and sensors, maritime defence and cyber capabilities as well as providing a key contribution in the air defence domain, among others. This latest agreement represents the most recent step of Leonardo to reinforce its activities in the Kingdom, where the company has a dedicated Headquarters.

Collaborating with local technological partners, research establishments and end-users, Leonardo will be able to generate sustained development and production in the country. The MoU will significantly contribute to the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aimed at the implementation of unprecedented reforms in the public sector, diversifying the economy, empowering citizens and businesses to reach their full potential and creating innovative growth opportunities.

Source: Leonardo