HRH Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense visited BAE Systems headquarters in Wharton during his official visit to the United Kingdom. His Highness was received upon arrival at the company’s headquarters by His Excellency RAF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sir Mike Wigston, the British Military Attache to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Brigadier General Jimmy Piggott and the CEO of BAE Systems, Dr. Charles Woodburn.
During the visit, His Highness the Secretary of Defense was briefed on the superior capabilities of the Typhoon aircraft and its combat systems, His Highness also heard an explanation of the company’s future plans and strategies, including the future aviation combat capabilities program, the development of air systems, and ways to strengthen the existing partnership between them. and the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, which lasts for more than 50 years, during which he has achieved many achievements and successes in the transfer of technology and experience to the Kingdom, as well as cooperation with the industrial sector of Saudi Arabia, as these efforts culminated in the assembly of the first jet trainer, as well as the production of some of its parts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which will contribute to the achievement of one of the most important goals of The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in the localization of the military industry.
After that, His Highness the Minister of Defense visited the company’s aviation systems development and design department, where he got acquainted with a number of Typhoon aircraft models and modern systems used in aviation.
From the Saudi side, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Fayyad bin Hamed Al Ruwaili and His Excellency Assistant Secretary of Defense for Dr. Khaled bin Hussein Al Bayari Director General of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, Executive Director of the Saudi-British Defense Cooperation Program, Head of the Peace Project, Major General Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Rabia, Director of the Saudi – British Defense Cooperation Program Major General Salahuddin Al-Fawwaz and the military attache of the Embassy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the UK, Pilot Major of the General Staff Riyad bin Mohammed Abu Ababa.
On the British side, Avril Jolliffe, Director General of the Industrial, Commercial and Economic Security Sector, Major General Chris Sneith, Director General of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces Projects at the British Ministry of Defense, Simon Barnes, Director of BAE Systems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Sir BAE Systems Military Advisor Andy Balfour, as well as a number of senior officials, both civilian and military, from both sides.
