9 agreements for the Prince Sultan Center at the World Defence Exhibition 2026

The Prince Sultan Center for Defense Studies and Research continues to solidify its position as a cornerstone of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's defense and security system through its active and extensive participation in the third edition of the World Defense Show (WDS 2026) . This participation underscores the Center's pivotal role as a research and technology enabler for innovators and stakeholders involved in developing the defense sector, in line with ambitious national aspirations.

Strategic partnerships to support local content

In a move reflecting the center's commitment to accelerating the localization of military industries, its participation in the exhibition resulted in the signing of nine strategic cooperation agreements and partnerships with leading national institutions. These agreements aim to achieve effective integration between the research and industrial sectors and build qualified national capabilities to lead the future of innovation in the fields of security and defense. These partnerships are an integral part of the center's strategy to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications, thereby enhancing the Kingdom's defense decision-making independence.

National technologies for sustainable security

Under the slogan "National Technologies for Sustainable Security," the center showcased its integrated innovation journey across three main pavilions. These pavilions featured live demonstrations simulating the lifecycle of a defense product, from initial research to final product ready for field application. Among the highlights were:

• The unmanned boat project: which embodies a research success story that has turned into a tangible product.
• Innovation Support Pavilion: Dedicated to highlighting emerging research initiatives in Saudi universities and academic institutions that have received support from the center to transform into promising defense solutions.

A future vision for cyber warfare

On the knowledge front, the center enriched the exhibition's accompanying dialogue sessions with the expertise of its national staff. Engineer Thamer bin Khamis, Director General of the Electronic Warfare Department at the center, participated in a panel discussion entitled "Enabling Defense and Security Applications through Plans and Directions." During his remarks, bin Khamis emphasized the importance of strategic cooperation in creating a secure operational environment, stressing the need to develop innovative solutions in the fields of advanced radars and unmanned systems to ensure technical compatibility and support national security objectives.

Economic and strategic dimensions

The participation of the Prince Sultan Center in the World Defense Show 2026 is of particular importance in light of the great movement witnessed by the military industries sector in the Kingdom, which aims to localize more than 50% of military spending by 2030. The center’s research outputs and new agreements contribute to strengthening the knowledge economy, creating quality job opportunities for Saudi cadres, in addition to enhancing the Kingdom’s technological sovereignty in sensitive and vital areas, which places the Kingdom among the advanced countries in the field of defense innovation.