Under Trump arms deal, high-tech U.S. bombs to be built in Saudi Arabia

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

June 7, 2019, 11:34 PM GMT+2
By Dan De Luce and Robert Windrem


WASHINGTON — A controversial arms deal for Arab allies approved by the Trump administration will allow U.S. hi-tech bomb parts to be manufactured in Saudi Arabia, giving Riyadh unprecedented access to a sensitive weapons technology.

The production arrangement is part of a larger $8.1 billion arms package for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan announced two weeks ago. The Trump administration pressed ahead with the sale without congressional approval, declaring an "emergency" based on what it said was a heightened threat from Iran.


The deal came as a surprise to lawmakers, who were outraged that the administration chose to bypass Congress. But most members of Congress only learned days after the deal was announced May 24 that it opens the door for Saudi Arabia to host the production of electronic guidance and control systems for Paveway precision-guided bombs, congressional aides said.

The New York Times first reported on the co-production arrangement.

Lawmakers are expected to grill a senior State Department official — R. Clarke Cooper, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs — about the arms deal and the bomb production plan at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday.

The U.S. government tends to closely guard technology linked to sophisticated weapons, and limits how much of that technology is shared through co-production projects with other countries.






Senators attempt to block Trump on Saudi weapons sales
JUNE 5, 201911:22
Lawmakers opposed to the deal said the production scheme sent the wrong signal to Saudi Arabia given its human rights record and its air war in Yemen, raised security concerns about sharing so-called "smart bomb" technology with Riyadh and undercut one of President Donald Trump's arguments for selling weapons to the Saudis — to generate jobs in the United States.

"The concerns over this sale are only one more reason showing the importance of congressional review and why it is deeply disturbing that the Trump administration is trying to circumvent the law and Congress to give the Saudis not only American jobs but also American weapons technology," Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said.

The co-production plan had raised eyebrows among some lawmakers more than a year ago when the administration first tried to secure approval for tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, a Democratic congressional aide told NBC News.

Menendez held up the sale of 120,000 precision-guided bombs for Saudi Arabia and the UAE last year because of numerous accounts of civilian casualties from Saudi-led air raids in Yemen. The senator has said the administration failed to persuade him that selling more of the so-called "smart" bombs would prevent more civilian deaths.

Human rights, U.N. investigators and aid groups have accused Saudi Arabia and its allies of striking civilian targets, including hospitals and schools, in indiscriminate bombing raids in Yemen since Riyadh launched an armed intervention against Houthi rebels in 2015. Congressional resistance to weapons sales to Saudi Arabia only grew after the killing last year of Saudi writer and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.






Trump vetoes measure to end US involvement in Yemen war
APRIL 17, 201900:27
The Trump administration has defended the arms sale as a way of ensuring Arab allies can defend themselves amid an allegedly increased danger from Iran, and that Washington's credibility as a military partner was at risk if it did not deliver spare parts and other weapons promptly. U.S. officials privately have also said that maintaining arms sales helps Washington exert a constructive influence over the kingdom.

A State Department official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the production arrangement "is not something we would have licensed if we were not fully confident in both the Saudi ability to protect the technology, as well as the positive impact on the American defense industrial base."

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, an outspoken critic of U.S. support for the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, condemned the production arrangement.





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"To think that we would co-produce these bombs and in turn contribute to an arms race, regional instability, and civilian deaths is unfathomable," Murphy said. "Congress needs to put a stop to the way we do business with the Saudis and start acting like the senior partner in this relationship rather than succumbing to whatever the kingdom wants."

"A secretive monarchy that commits atrocities in Yemen, that murders dissidents and journalists and lies to the world about it, and that treats women as property is not one to which we should be giving some of our most sensitive military technology," Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said.

The Paveway bombs can strike a target within 10 feet when fired from 40,000 feet, according to William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Washington-based Center for International Policy, and will almost certainly be used in the war in Yemen. "The weapons are going to be put to use in a civilian slaughter," he said.

Displays of missiles stand at the Raytheon International Inc. chalet on day two of the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2018 in Farnborough, U.K., on July 17, 2018.Simon Dawson / Bloomberg via Getty Images file
The deal fits in with Saudi Arabia's long term economic plan, Saudi Vision 2030, which calls for the country to dramatically increase its domestic arms production. "They are trying to build up their own military manufacturing base," Hartung said.

But the assembly of bomb parts in the kingdom raises security and proliferation questions for the United States, he added. "If they can master the production process, they could sell it."

The defense firm that makes the precision-guided bombs, Raytheon, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, said co-production deals in other countries were not unusual.

"Local work share is a common practice used in the majority of aerospace and defense exports around the world," spokesman Mike Doble said in an email. Raytheon has a number of other international co-production arrangements that are all approved by the U.S. government and adhere to U.S. arms export regulations, he said.

Doble added that production in Saudi Arabia will likely start within about two years after the U.S. government approves a manufacturing license.

People inspect the site of an airstrike by Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa, Yemen on May, 16, 2019.Hani Mohammed / AP
The long-term nature of a joint production plan with the Saudis also prompted criticism in Congress, as the administration had insisted the arms package had to be expedited given the "emergency" conditions in the Middle East.

"This is a long-term endeavor in Saudi Arabia. How is this an emergency? " one Democratic congressional staffer said.

In a memo last month explaining why the administration had declared an emergency to fast-track the arms sale, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that "Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad."

He added: "Current threat reporting indicates Iran engages in preparations for further malign activities throughout the Middle East region, including potential targeting of U.S. and allied military forces in the region."

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/under-trump-arms-deal-high-tech-u-s-bombs-be-n1015346

Ignore the "Yemen nonsense " and "human rights" nonsense in that article. It is of no importance and no sane person takes it seriously when it comes from a US media (as if the US is an innocent party, LOL).

Good stuff.

40 years + of trade surplus in our trade volume with the US as well.

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5170.html

Meanwhile we are working closely with China on our missile program. Can't state it enough of times. Our leaders (those in the GCC) are the most clever leaders in the Muslim and developing world. Our people live by far the best lives. Least amount of wars. Great visions. Stability. Great relations with all powers of the world. Developing rapidly on all fronts. But, but you have been blessed with untold natural resources and minerals (is that a crime?) and a great strategic location and an imperial past and one of the most influential cultures and civilizations in history (Arab and Islamic). I say again, is that our fault? But we have tons of examples of similarly oil, gas and mineral rich countries being shitholes in comparison. "Critics" are then left with no reply.

@The SC

I am left astonished by the pace of development in KSA and all the good news. That Khashoggi nonsense (MB terrorist and traitor) that certain elements tried to milk desperately 24/7 failed spectacularly. The goal was obviously to remove MbS and I would not be surprised if this was an inside job. After all we all know who supported King Saud before his exile in Greece and who tends to support incompetent leaders in the region and who tends to work against strong and great visionaries like (MbS) who do what they preach. Therefore I warmly embrace the fact that our relations with China are reaching unlimited heights and that Putin is soon to visit.

Look at the crying from the Demorats and "justice" warriors:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1137188192921063426

 

[The SC]

June 7, 2019, 11:34 PM GMT+2
By Dan De Luce and Robert Windrem


WASHINGTON — A controversial arms deal for Arab allies approved by the Trump administration will allow U.S. hi-tech bomb parts to be manufactured in Saudi Arabia, giving Riyadh unprecedented access to a sensitive weapons technology.

The production arrangement is part of a larger $8.1 billion arms package for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan announced two weeks ago. The Trump administration pressed ahead with the sale without congressional approval, declaring an "emergency" based on what it said was a heightened threat from Iran.


The deal came as a surprise to lawmakers, who were outraged that the administration chose to bypass Congress. But most members of Congress only learned days after the deal was announced May 24 that it opens the door for Saudi Arabia to host the production of electronic guidance and control systems for Paveway precision-guided bombs, congressional aides said.

The New York Times first reported on the co-production arrangement.

Lawmakers are expected to grill a senior State Department official — R. Clarke Cooper, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs — about the arms deal and the bomb production plan at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday.

The U.S. government tends to closely guard technology linked to sophisticated weapons, and limits how much of that technology is shared through co-production projects with other countries.






Senators attempt to block Trump on Saudi weapons sales
JUNE 5, 201911:22
Lawmakers opposed to the deal said the production scheme sent the wrong signal to Saudi Arabia given its human rights record and its air war in Yemen, raised security concerns about sharing so-called "smart bomb" technology with Riyadh and undercut one of President Donald Trump's arguments for selling weapons to the Saudis — to generate jobs in the United States.

"The concerns over this sale are only one more reason showing the importance of congressional review and why it is deeply disturbing that the Trump administration is trying to circumvent the law and Congress to give the Saudis not only American jobs but also American weapons technology," Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said.

The co-production plan had raised eyebrows among some lawmakers more than a year ago when the administration first tried to secure approval for tens of thousands of precision-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, a Democratic congressional aide told NBC News.

Menendez held up the sale of 120,000 precision-guided bombs for Saudi Arabia and the UAE last year because of numerous accounts of civilian casualties from Saudi-led air raids in Yemen. The senator has said the administration failed to persuade him that selling more of the so-called "smart" bombs would prevent more civilian deaths.

Human rights, U.N. investigators and aid groups have accused Saudi Arabia and its allies of striking civilian targets, including hospitals and schools, in indiscriminate bombing raids in Yemen since Riyadh launched an armed intervention against Houthi rebels in 2015. Congressional resistance to weapons sales to Saudi Arabia only grew after the killing last year of Saudi writer and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.






Trump vetoes measure to end US involvement in Yemen war
APRIL 17, 201900:27
The Trump administration has defended the arms sale as a way of ensuring Arab allies can defend themselves amid an allegedly increased danger from Iran, and that Washington's credibility as a military partner was at risk if it did not deliver spare parts and other weapons promptly. U.S. officials privately have also said that maintaining arms sales helps Washington exert a constructive influence over the kingdom.

A State Department official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the production arrangement "is not something we would have licensed if we were not fully confident in both the Saudi ability to protect the technology, as well as the positive impact on the American defense industrial base."

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, an outspoken critic of U.S. support for the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, condemned the production arrangement.





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"To think that we would co-produce these bombs and in turn contribute to an arms race, regional instability, and civilian deaths is unfathomable," Murphy said. "Congress needs to put a stop to the way we do business with the Saudis and start acting like the senior partner in this relationship rather than succumbing to whatever the kingdom wants."

"A secretive monarchy that commits atrocities in Yemen, that murders dissidents and journalists and lies to the world about it, and that treats women as property is not one to which we should be giving some of our most sensitive military technology," Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said.

The Paveway bombs can strike a target within 10 feet when fired from 40,000 feet, according to William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Washington-based Center for International Policy, and will almost certainly be used in the war in Yemen. "The weapons are going to be put to use in a civilian slaughter," he said.

Displays of missiles stand at the Raytheon International Inc. chalet on day two of the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2018 in Farnborough, U.K., on July 17, 2018.Simon Dawson / Bloomberg via Getty Images file
The deal fits in with Saudi Arabia's long term economic plan, Saudi Vision 2030, which calls for the country to dramatically increase its domestic arms production. "They are trying to build up their own military manufacturing base," Hartung said.

But the assembly of bomb parts in the kingdom raises security and proliferation questions for the United States, he added. "If they can master the production process, they could sell it."

The defense firm that makes the precision-guided bombs, Raytheon, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, said co-production deals in other countries were not unusual.

"Local work share is a common practice used in the majority of aerospace and defense exports around the world," spokesman Mike Doble said in an email. Raytheon has a number of other international co-production arrangements that are all approved by the U.S. government and adhere to U.S. arms export regulations, he said.

Doble added that production in Saudi Arabia will likely start within about two years after the U.S. government approves a manufacturing license.

People inspect the site of an airstrike by Saudi-led coalition in Sanaa, Yemen on May, 16, 2019.Hani Mohammed / AP
The long-term nature of a joint production plan with the Saudis also prompted criticism in Congress, as the administration had insisted the arms package had to be expedited given the "emergency" conditions in the Middle East.

"This is a long-term endeavor in Saudi Arabia. How is this an emergency? " one Democratic congressional staffer said.

In a memo last month explaining why the administration had declared an emergency to fast-track the arms sale, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that "Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad."

He added: "Current threat reporting indicates Iran engages in preparations for further malign activities throughout the Middle East region, including potential targeting of U.S. and allied military forces in the region."

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/under-trump-arms-deal-high-tech-u-s-bombs-be-n1015346

Ignore the "Yemen nonsense " and "human rights" nonsense in that article. It is of no importance and no sane person takes it seriously when it comes from a US media (as if the US is an innocent party, LOL).

Good stuff.

40 years + of trade surplus in our trade volume with the US as well.

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5170.html

Meanwhile we are working closely with China on our missile program. Can't state it enough of times. Our leaders (those in the GCC) are the most clever leaders in the Muslim and developing world. Our people live by far the best lives. Least amount of wars. Great visions. Stability. Great relations with all powers of the world. Developing rapidly on all fronts. But, but you have been blessed with untold natural resources and minerals (is that a crime?) and a great strategic location and an imperial past and one of the most influential cultures and civilizations in history (Arab and Islamic). I say again, is that our fault? But we have tons of examples of similarly oil, gas and mineral rich countries being shitholes in comparison. "Critics" are then left with no reply.

@The SC

I am left astonished by the pace of development in KSA and all the good news. That Khashoggi nonsense (MB terrorist and traitor) that certain elements tried to milk desperately 24/7 failed spectacularly. The goal was obviously to remove MbS and I would not be surprised if this was an inside job. After all we all know who supported King Saud before his exile in Greece and who tends to support incompetent leaders in the region and who tends to work against strong and great visionaries like (MbS) who do what they preach. Therefore I warmly embrace the fact that our relations with China are reaching unlimited heights and that Putin is soon to visit.

Look at the crying from the Demorats and "justice" warriors:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1137188192921063426

Bottom line for the Democrats: "If they can master the production process, they could sell it."

Khashoggi: His actions are actually spy acts based on what was issued by the Turkish newspaper Al-Sabah loyal to the Turkish Justice Party, which said that he said he loves Turkey.. KSA said that is OK, he said he bought a house in Turkey. KSA said that is OK..then it said that he wanted to establish a counter-revolution by gathering Arab opponents and attracting them to Turkey to be their base. And to carry out revolutions in their countries including _on top of the list_ Saudi Arabia.. And that they'll be guided and assigned to Turkey according to the interests of the latter..


Republicans response about the missile sites: "There's no doubt that factual matters that the intelligence community has sometimes don't get into the hands of senators simply because there is too much of it," Risch told CNN, noting that he hadn't received any complaints from Republican members of the panel. "It's not intentional at all. It's just simply that it can't be done."

In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China and Saudi Arabia are "comprehensive strategic partners," and that both countries "maintain friendly cooperation in all areas, including in the area of arms sales. Such cooperation does not violate any international laws, nor does it involve the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/05/...le-china/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

Trump Deal Allows US Bomb Parts to Be Made in Saudi Arabia
Raytheon says nothing unusual about US technology transfer
Jason Ditz Posted on June 7, 2019

President Trump’s arms deal with Saudi Arabia was already highly controversial because of the number of civilians being killed by the Saudis with US-made and -provided bombs. Yet the controversy may well grow from here.

That’s because the US isn’t just sending billions of dollars worth of arms to the Saudis. The Trump Administration is also allowing armsmaker Raytheon to transfer highly sensitive US weapons technology to Saudi Arabia, to make many of the bomb parts in Saudi Arabia.

The technology transfer will allow the Saudis to produce many of the most important parts, and in time, produce their own version of the Raytheon Paveway smart bombs. This would in the long run remove Congressional oversight from the arms transfer, by making the Saudis self-sufficient in the smart bombs that have been killing thousands of civilians in Yemen.

The arms transfers are to be done through a false “state of emergency” declaration by President Trump, so as to circumvent Congressional oversight. The House is planning hearings on the matter, however, and the Senate has 22 votes of disapproval lined up.

It is expected that the Senate Democrats are uniformly behind these votes against the sale, along with Democrat-leaning independents and at least three Republicans (Sens. Paul, Graham, and Young). Passing the resolutions would require only one more Republican to switch sides, and that could easily happen with mounting concerns about not just arms transfers, but arms technology transfers.

Raytheon is trying to downplay the significance of all of this, insisting that US technology transfers happen all the time, and making parts of arms sales in the purchasing country are not that rare. This is true, but the secretive nature of what the Saudis are buying, and how controversial it was to sell it to them at all, makes this a bigger deal.

https://news.antiwar.com/2019/06/07/trump-deal-allows-us-bomb-parts-to-be-made-in-saudi-arabia/

Demorats crying as usual.

@The SC @Wilhelm II

News from 3 years ago:


This below also occurred 2 years ago.

$240-million Al-Kharj (KSA) facility to produce top-class artillery
RIYADH: South African President Jacob Zuma, who was on a one-day state visit to Riyadh on Sunday, opened a projectiles factory along with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Both were taken on a tour by Mohamed Al-Mady, head of Saudi Military Industries Corporation. He briefed the visitors on the services and facilities at the new complex.
The complex features nine industrial buildings, each allocated to a specific productivity, such as processing, packaging, assembly and filling, destructive testing and nondestructive testing, heat and surface treatments.
The complex produces military projectiles ranging from shells of medium caliber such as mortar rounds (60mm, 81mm 120mm), artillery shells (105mm and 155mm) and heavy shells such as aircraft bombs weighing from 500 pounds to 2,000 pounds.
Al-Mady said the SR900 million Saudi Military Industries Corporation is a licensed company, which will be operating in alliance with South Africa-based Rheinmetall Denel Munition.
The facility is expected to produce 300 artillery shells or 600 mortar projectiles a day, Al-Mady said, adding that this plant would be managed by 130 engineers and operators.
South Africa-based RDM specializes in the development, design and manufacture of large- and medium-caliber ammunition families and is a world leader in the field of artillery, mortar and infantry systems as well as plant engineering.

Source. Arab News (I cannot yet post any direct links).

South African defence company partners Saudi Arabian counterpart in new factory
South African defence company Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) has helped set up a munitions manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia in a venture with that country's Military Industries Corporation (MIC), the Saudi Press Agency has reported. According to MIC head Mohammad Almadhi, the establishment of the plant cost some $240-million and it was built under license from, and with the assistance of, RDM. The new factory was opened on March 27 by South African President Jacob Zuma and by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. (Prince Mohammad is also his country's Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and chairperson of the board of directors of the MIC). The facility is located at Al-Kharj, in central Saudi Arabia, south of the capital, Riyadh.

The plant will manufacture 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm mortar bombs, 105 mm and 155 mm artillery shells and aircraft bombs ranging from 226 kg (500 lb) to 907 kg (2000 lb). It is composed of nine industrial buildings, each with its own specific function, including heat treatment and surface treatment, assembly and filling, processing, packaging and destructive and nondestructive testing. According to Almadhi, the factory has a production capacity of 300 artillery shells or 600 mortar bombs a day. It will be staffed by 130 engineers and operators. He further noted that his company was now able to make many different defence products.

RDM is a joint venture between German defence group Rheinmetall Waffe Munition and South African State-owned defence industrial group Denel and was created in 2008. Rheinmetall holds 51% of RDM and Denel the remaining 49%. RDM describes itself on its website as a company that "specialises in the development, design and manufacture of large- and medium-calibre ammunition families and is a world leader in the field of artillery, mortar and infantry systems, as well as plant engineering". The Middle East is one of its target markets.

Zuma was in Saudi Arabia on March 27 and 28 on a State visit. The aim of the visit was to strengthen political and economic ties between the two countries, including increasing trade and investment.
Consequnetly, one of the members of his delegation was Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies.

The defence industry was one of the sectors that received special attention. Other sectors highlighted by the South African delegation included agricultural products, agroprocessed goods and services, manufacturing and mineral beneficiation. The involvement of South African companies in construction and engineering in infrastructure development in Saudi Arabia, under the Saudi National Transformation Plan, was also stressed.

"We are very pleased that this State visit will ensure, among other things, continued Saudi private-sector investment in our country's renewable-energy sector in support of the National Development Plan; the South African petrochemicals sector; banking and finance; and tourism infrastructure, as well as Saudi participation as a maritime State in our Operation Phakisa," affirmed Zuma. During his visit he also addressed a meeting of high-level South African and Saudi business leaders. He urged them to set up an entity to promote business-to-business cooperation between the two countries, with the aim of increasing Saudi investment in South Africa and South African exports to Saudi Arabia.

------------------------

Probably many more deals have been signed but I honestly lost track.

 

[The SC]

These are the culprits now..

 

[dani92]

Bottom line for the Democrats: "If they can master the production process, they could sell it."

Khashoggi: His actions are actually spy acts based on what was issued by the Turkish newspaper Al-Sabah loyal to the Turkish Justice Party, which said that he said he loves Turkey.. KSA said that is OK, he said he bought a house in Turkey. KSA said that is OK..then it said that he wanted to establish a counter-revolution by gathering Arab opponents and attracting them to Turkey to be their base. And to carry out revolutions in their countries including _on top of the list_ Saudi Arabia.. And that they'll be guided and assigned to Turkey according to the interests of the latter..


Republicans response about the missile sites: "There's no doubt that factual matters that the intelligence community has sometimes don't get into the hands of senators simply because there is too much of it," Risch told CNN, noting that he hadn't received any complaints from Republican members of the panel. "It's not intentional at all. It's just simply that it can't be done."

In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China and Saudi Arabia are "comprehensive strategic partners," and that both countries "maintain friendly cooperation in all areas, including in the area of arms sales. Such cooperation does not violate any international laws, nor does it involve the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/05/...le-china/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

The khashoqgi case was exaggerated by the democrats and leftist lobbies along with republicans that are loyal to Qatar like graham and the Qatari media and lobbies

 

[Wilhelm II]

Trump Deal Allows US Bomb Parts to Be Made in Saudi Arabia
Raytheon says nothing unusual about US technology transfer
Jason Ditz Posted on June 7, 2019

President Trump’s arms deal with Saudi Arabia was already highly controversial because of the number of civilians being killed by the Saudis with US-made and -provided bombs. Yet the controversy may well grow from here.

That’s because the US isn’t just sending billions of dollars worth of arms to the Saudis. The Trump Administration is also allowing armsmaker Raytheon to transfer highly sensitive US weapons technology to Saudi Arabia, to make many of the bomb parts in Saudi Arabia.

The technology transfer will allow the Saudis to produce many of the most important parts, and in time, produce their own version of the Raytheon Paveway smart bombs. This would in the long run remove Congressional oversight from the arms transfer, by making the Saudis self-sufficient in the smart bombs that have been killing thousands of civilians in Yemen.

The arms transfers are to be done through a false “state of emergency” declaration by President Trump, so as to circumvent Congressional oversight. The House is planning hearings on the matter, however, and the Senate has 22 votes of disapproval lined up.

It is expected that the Senate Democrats are uniformly behind these votes against the sale, along with Democrat-leaning independents and at least three Republicans (Sens. Paul, Graham, and Young). Passing the resolutions would require only one more Republican to switch sides, and that could easily happen with mounting concerns about not just arms transfers, but arms technology transfers.

Raytheon is trying to downplay the significance of all of this, insisting that US technology transfers happen all the time, and making parts of arms sales in the purchasing country are not that rare. This is true, but the secretive nature of what the Saudis are buying, and how controversial it was to sell it to them at all, makes this a bigger deal.

https://news.antiwar.com/2019/06/07/trump-deal-allows-us-bomb-parts-to-be-made-in-saudi-arabia/

Demorats crying as usual.

@The SC @Wilhelm II

News from 3 years ago:


This below also occurred 2 years ago.

$240-million Al-Kharj (KSA) facility to produce top-class artillery
RIYADH: South African President Jacob Zuma, who was on a one-day state visit to Riyadh on Sunday, opened a projectiles factory along with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Both were taken on a tour by Mohamed Al-Mady, head of Saudi Military Industries Corporation. He briefed the visitors on the services and facilities at the new complex.
The complex features nine industrial buildings, each allocated to a specific productivity, such as processing, packaging, assembly and filling, destructive testing and nondestructive testing, heat and surface treatments.
The complex produces military projectiles ranging from shells of medium caliber such as mortar rounds (60mm, 81mm 120mm), artillery shells (105mm and 155mm) and heavy shells such as aircraft bombs weighing from 500 pounds to 2,000 pounds.
Al-Mady said the SR900 million Saudi Military Industries Corporation is a licensed company, which will be operating in alliance with South Africa-based Rheinmetall Denel Munition.
The facility is expected to produce 300 artillery shells or 600 mortar projectiles a day, Al-Mady said, adding that this plant would be managed by 130 engineers and operators.
South Africa-based RDM specializes in the development, design and manufacture of large- and medium-caliber ammunition families and is a world leader in the field of artillery, mortar and infantry systems as well as plant engineering.

Source. Arab News (I cannot yet post any direct links).

South African defence company partners Saudi Arabian counterpart in new factory
South African defence company Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) has helped set up a munitions manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia in a venture with that country's Military Industries Corporation (MIC), the Saudi Press Agency has reported. According to MIC head Mohammad Almadhi, the establishment of the plant cost some $240-million and it was built under license from, and with the assistance of, RDM. The new factory was opened on March 27 by South African President Jacob Zuma and by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. (Prince Mohammad is also his country's Second Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and chairperson of the board of directors of the MIC). The facility is located at Al-Kharj, in central Saudi Arabia, south of the capital, Riyadh.

The plant will manufacture 60 mm, 81 mm and 120 mm mortar bombs, 105 mm and 155 mm artillery shells and aircraft bombs ranging from 226 kg (500 lb) to 907 kg (2000 lb). It is composed of nine industrial buildings, each with its own specific function, including heat treatment and surface treatment, assembly and filling, processing, packaging and destructive and nondestructive testing. According to Almadhi, the factory has a production capacity of 300 artillery shells or 600 mortar bombs a day. It will be staffed by 130 engineers and operators. He further noted that his company was now able to make many different defence products.

RDM is a joint venture between German defence group Rheinmetall Waffe Munition and South African State-owned defence industrial group Denel and was created in 2008. Rheinmetall holds 51% of RDM and Denel the remaining 49%. RDM describes itself on its website as a company that "specialises in the development, design and manufacture of large- and medium-calibre ammunition families and is a world leader in the field of artillery, mortar and infantry systems, as well as plant engineering". The Middle East is one of its target markets.

Zuma was in Saudi Arabia on March 27 and 28 on a State visit. The aim of the visit was to strengthen political and economic ties between the two countries, including increasing trade and investment.
Consequnetly, one of the members of his delegation was Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies.

The defence industry was one of the sectors that received special attention. Other sectors highlighted by the South African delegation included agricultural products, agroprocessed goods and services, manufacturing and mineral beneficiation. The involvement of South African companies in construction and engineering in infrastructure development in Saudi Arabia, under the Saudi National Transformation Plan, was also stressed.

"We are very pleased that this State visit will ensure, among other things, continued Saudi private-sector investment in our country's renewable-energy sector in support of the National Development Plan; the South African petrochemicals sector; banking and finance; and tourism infrastructure, as well as Saudi participation as a maritime State in our Operation Phakisa," affirmed Zuma. During his visit he also addressed a meeting of high-level South African and Saudi business leaders. He urged them to set up an entity to promote business-to-business cooperation between the two countries, with the aim of increasing Saudi investment in South Africa and South African exports to Saudi Arabia.

------------------------

Probably many more deals have been signed but I honestly lost track.

Not enough we need more and more ToT

 

[k s ahmed]

and then ? ssaudi will make bombs, saudi will buy more bbombs... to do what ? bombs bombs bombs .. !!

and still no budget for education and other developments ? what is the aim of saudi govt?
what is the reason of them existing on earth ? the saudi govt ? can any one enlighten me ?

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

and then ? ssaudi will make bombs, saudi will buy more bbombs... to do what ? bombs bombs bombs .. !!

and still no budget for education and other developments ? what is the aim of saudi govt?
what is the reason of them existing on earth ? the saudi govt ? can any one enlighten me ?

Are you living on Mars?


Oiling the wheels on a road to success

• Pakinam Amer

Nature volume 532, pages S13–S15 (28 April 2016) | Download Citation

With the benefit of a sustainable plan and the funds to back it, Saudi Arabia is aiming high.

Saudi Arabia's scientific development may be in its infancy, but the oil-rich Kingdom is making strides in terms of research investment and publication — with a clear ambition to one day join those in the highest echelons.

KAUST students embark on a new school year with a commencement ceremony. The relatively new university has quickly made an impact on the Nature Index. Image: KAUST

In 2012, Saudi Arabia had a weighted fractional count (WFC) of 52.84 in the index, sitting behind Turkey, Iran, Mexico, Chile and South Africa. In four years it rose 86.8% to reach a WFC of 98.67, leapfrogging all these countries to compete with Chile and Argentina globally. Saudi Arabia ranks at number 31 in the world in terms of WFC — up from 39 in 2012.

The country has risen even higher in specific subject areas. In chemistry, for example, it has surpassed countries with a strong scientific impact like Finland and Ireland, with its WFC rising to 66.54, achieving almost a three-fold increase from its position in 2012.

Institutionally, the country's leading science hub King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) made an impressive leap in its WFC between 2012 and 2015, carving a place for itself to compete with American and European research powerhouses.

In just four years, its WFC has risen to become higher than those of prestigious institutions including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), the University of Georgia, United States, and Dresden University of Technology, Germany, to name a few. The output of all of these institutions dwarfed KAUST's in 2012, but KAUST's impressive trajectory since then has seen its WFC shoot to 72 in 2015, overtaking these heavy-hitters.

The country's science development ambitions have been backed by action. Since 2008, the country has embarked on a multi-tiered strategy that will see the Kingdom overhaul its science infrastructure, build high-spec labs, secure grants for research in priority areas in applied science, and link science to industries that drive the economy.

The strategy, broken into four stages to be implemented by 2030, aims to eventually “see Saudi Arabia become a leader in Asia and give it an economic power based on science,” says Abdulaziz Al-Swailem, vice president of scientific research support at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

The Saudi Human Genome Project will sequence 100,000 human genomes to conduct biomedical research in the Saudi population. Image: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia's march to the top Saudi Arabia's efforts to boost its scientific research have been paying off, with its output in the Nature Index (WFC) rising steadily over the years. The two graphs below highlight Saudi Arabia's rise compared to other nations, both overall and for chemistry.

Overall output In 2012 Saudi Arabia's overall output in the index was below all the countries shown, but continuous efforts have seen the Kingdom's WFC rise to overtake them all in 2015.

Chemistry More marked than its overall rise, Saudi Arabia has made great strides in chemistry. After accelerated growth, which saw the Kingdom's chemistry WFC triple since 2012, it has outshone many larger players in the field in 2015.

The Kingdom's science investments focus on applied research that feeds directly into the country's industrial interests, particularly the oil and energy sector. But even in its strong subjects, chemistry and the physical sciences, Saudi Arabia's WFC remains modest compared to big players in Asia like China, Japan and South Korea.

“Saudi Arabia could look to some successful emerging economies for inspiration.”

To truly swim comfortably with these bigger fish, Saudi Arabia may benefit from looking at successful emerging economies in Asia.

One inspiration could be India. In addition to multi-disciplinary scientific and technical advancements that have improved its output in the index from 736.5 to 901.4 in the past four years, the subcontinental giant has joined the exclusive club of countries that have launched successful space missions.

Like Saudi Arabia, India's leading research institutes focus on chemistry, and their total output currently outstrips their Saudi Arabian counterparts by almost a factor of seven (the latter surpassing 472 in 2015, while the former is 66.5).

India's prowess in chemistry is something that Saudi Arabia can aspire to, considering that working conditions for researchers in the Kingdom are more conducive.

India's science ecosystem is far from perfect. Research funding cannot keep up with inflation and a general slowdown in the country's economy. In addition, commentators from the research community say the funding processes are lengthy, bureaucratic, and provide little feedback when applications for grants are turned down. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's healthy stream of oil revenue provides assured funding for the country's state-of-the-art research facilities.

While India has slightly increased spending and dedicated US$1.19 billion for the next fiscal year (2016–2017) for science, it has around 700 universities and 200,000 full-time researchers drawing on the same funding pot. By contrast, Saudi Arabia has pledged an education and training budget of US$50.9 billion for next year, which includes higher education and scientific research. With a total population of just 30 million, it has a much lower number of full-time researchers competing for the available resources.

Another impressive trajectory that Saudi Arabia might look to emulate is that of Singapore, which has a smaller population as well and has managed to climb high in the index. Like the Kingdom, Singapore also has a focus on chemistry research, and it has put together a similar top-down national science strategy for research institutes across the country. Both countries have strong collaborations with top universities around the world and are welcoming of foreign researchers in their efforts to drive innovation.

Mansour Alghamdi, director of the general directorate of scientific awareness and publishing at KACST, is optimistic that Saudi Arabia can bridge the large gap that currently exists in the volume of scientific output between it and such countries as India and Singapore.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a clear plan to do so and it has the resources,” he says.

Future growth

An internationally rising star This graph shows KAUST's rise compared to a selection of other institutions*. *Institutions shown are those that were furthest above KAUST in 2012, have experienced overall growth in WFC by 2015 and have been overtaken by KAUST in 2015. For clarity, only 2012 and 2015 data points are shown.

In 2012, Saudi's ranking in research output, with a WFC of 52.8, meant it was comparable with countries like South Africa, Turkey and Iran, all hovering around the 60–70 mark. Its WFC stood way below countries like Mexico, Hungary, Chile, Greece and Argentina.

Saudi Arabian researchers benefit from cutting-edge labs and generous funding that has boosted the country's R&D. Image: Top: KACST; Bottom: KAUST

Four years later, the country's research outlook is very different and it is surpassing countries like Argentina, Mexico and Hungary in the index, and levelling the playing field with Chile. Chemistry research led the country's rapid rise to surpass these countries, but its life sciences and physical sciences WFCs of 8.5 and 31.5 still lag behind.

However, the Kingdom's AC has been steadily growing in these two fields over the past four years, hinting at the ever-increasing significance of international collaborations. It seems that Saudi Arabian researchers are casting their nets ever wider and are participating in publishing more articles, to the detriment of the WFC accredited for these articles.

Though international collaboration has proved fruitful, Saudi Arabia must keep a focus on nurturing home-grown talent, says Nasser Al-Aqeeli, dean of research at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), based in Dhahran's 'techno valley' in the eastern region of the Kingdom. In the next five years, he says, the country will focus on a programme for national capacity building.

A good first step was the Saudi government's decision to create a large scholarship programme in 2005, arguably the largest in the world, which has seen more than 200,000 young Saudi Arabians studying abroad. This makes Saudi Arabian students in the United States the fourth largest bloc of expatriate students, following those of China, India and South Korea. The government hopes these students will come back and drive a scientific culture in the country.

“Its rise up the ranks depends on a 'self-correcting mechanism' of a slow start to sustainable growth.”

Saudi Arabia is also looking to increase its applied research focus, which is an integral part of the current phase of its national science strategy, while securing good funding for basic research as well. Al-Aqeeli says that Saudi's journey involves what he termed a “self-correcting mechanism” where the country is having a slow start in high-impact research, but a more sustainable one. An eventual future move towards basic research might help Saudi Arabia's research capacity to mature.

https://www.nature.com/articles/532S13a

A few days ago Saudi Arabian students won gold medals in an international physics and science olympiad in Latvia. Will post the article in a few minutes when I find it.

Saudi foundation wins gold, bronze in European Physics Olympiad

RIYADH: Azan Al-Majnooni and Hisham Al-Maliki, of the King Abdul Aziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), won gold and bronze medals respectively at the European Physics Olympiad (EUPHO) 2019, in Riga, Latvia.
The contest ran from May 31 to June 4, and the Saudi duo were praised for their awards by the secretary-general of Mawhiba, Dr. Saud bin Saeed Al-Mathami.
Al-Mathami stressed that the accomplishments were achieved thanks to government support for the sciences and the foundation. This was the first time the Kingdom had taken part in EUPHO, which hosted 26 other nations.
“This comes as an extension to the march toward achieving the targets of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 through improving education and building a solid base for a talented generation, capable of realizing the aspirations of a state able to rely on creativity and innovation as a means to achieve,” he said.
The secretary-general added that Saudi Arabia paid great attention to gifted and talented citizens, catering their needs and requirements, upgrading services and programs supporting them, and creating the right environment to grow and develop their abilities.
Al-Mathami underlined that this victory was the result of fruitful and constructive cooperation between Mawhiba and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.
EUPHO is an international student contest, first held in 2017 in Estonia, and then in Russia 12 months later.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1506936/saudi-arabia

As of 2018, Saudi Arabia ranks 28 worldwide in terms of high-quality research output according to the renowned scientific journal Nature.[564] This makes Saudi Arabia the best performing Middle Eastern, Arab and Muslimcountry.

Saudi Arabia spends 8.8 % of its gross domestic product on education, compared with the global average of 4.6%, which is nearly double the global average on education.[565]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia