ASELSAN:
Lockheed Martin:
Rheinmetall:
BAE Systems:
Thales:
Leonardo:
Saab:
Kongsberg Gruppen:
Indra Sistemas:
Mitsubishi Heavy Ind.:
Hanwha Aerospace:
AVIC Shenyang Aircraft:
Hindustan Aeronautics:
KEY INTELLIGENCE TAKEAWAYS & SUMMARY
- The completion of the AKINCI TİHA training by the personnel of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Navy indicates the strengthening of Turkey-Saudi Arabia defense cooperation.
- 3.1 billion dollar AKINCI TİHA agreement is notable as the largest defense and aviation export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey.
- The agreement was not limited to platform sales, but also a cooperation agreement was signed for production in Saudi Arabia.
- The relationship between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, which has been taken to a multilateral framework with the Mekke Joint Defense Agreement, shows the reflections of a broader strategic partnership on the field.
Historic Agreement: Saudi Team Completes AKINCI TİHA Training
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Naval Forces' 15 pilots and 15 mechanical and electronic technicians, who are trainees, graduated successfully after completing the training organized at the Çorlu Flight Training and Test Center. This graduation is the next link in the $3.1 billion <strong>AKINCI</strong> UAV agreement, which was announced as the largest defense and aviation export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey when it was signed during President Erdoğan's visit to Saudi Arabia in August 2023.
Technical Capacity and Field Balances
The AKINCI agreement is notable as one of the turning points in Turkey-Saudi Arabia defense cooperation. The agreement was not limited to platform sales only. During the same period, a cooperation agreement was signed between Baykar and SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries), a state-owned establishment of Saudi Arabia, for the production of AKINCI in Saudi Arabia. ASELSAN and ROKETSAN were also included in this process.
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Gaining a New Meaning in the Context of the Makkah Agreement
This agreement in 2023 was considered a turning point in Turkey-Saudi Arabia relations. At the current stage, this relationship has been taken to a multilateral framework between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan with the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed on August 7. The graduation of Saudi Naval Forces personnel today is a concrete development indicating that the AKINCI has spread not only to the air force but also to naval operations in the Saudi inventory, and stands out as one of the reflections of this broader strategic partnership in the field.
Conclusion and Future Perspective
The completion of the AKINCI TİHA training of the Royal Saudi Navy personnel indicates the strengthening of the Turkey-Saudi Arabia defense cooperation. The $3.1 billion AKINCI TİHA agreement draws attention as the largest defense and aviation export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey. The agreement was not limited to platform sales, but also included a cooperation agreement for production in Saudi Arabia. The relationship between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, which has been taken to a multilateral framework with the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, shows the reflections of a broader strategic partnership in the field.
