Leonardo DRS Leverages Partnership To Support Saudi Arabia’s Defense

Leonardo DRS Leverages Local Partnership to Address Saudi Arabia’s Battlespace Needs

The modern battlespace has evolved dramatically in just a few years. Advanced ballistic and cruise missiles, proliferating unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, cyber threats, and sophisticated non-kinetic effects now place ground, maritime, and air platforms at unprecedented risk.

Recent conflicts and heightened tensions across the world  have underscored the urgency for allied nations to rapidly modernize their defense capabilities and strengthen their ability to operate seamlessly with partners.

For more than a decade, Leonardo DRS has served as a key partner to allied nations across the Middle East and North Africa. These partnerships today span Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, and are focused on modernizing armed forces through close collaboration, technology transfer, and combat-proven solutions designed to address current and emerging threats.

Bill Guyan, President of International Business for Leonardo DRS said of the company’s commitments, “We are supporting the U.S. military and its allies around the world. We take pride in building enduring partnerships that expand local industrial capability and strengthen national security. Our focus is on teaming with local companies to deliver advanced, mission-critical capabilities while also helping our partners build sustainable defense ecosystems that can deliver long-term impact.”

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Leonardo DRS has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Saudi Arabian Military Industries, Advanced Electronic Company (AEC), to explore local collaboration and production opportunities for critical battlespace situational awareness technologies supporting the Saudi Ministry of Defense and the National Guard.

Al Mosher, Vice President of International Business Development for the Land Electronics business of Leonardo DRS, adds “Saudi Arabia’s defense modernization priorities are clearly defined and ambitious - yet achievable. Our work in the Kingdom is focused on delivering proven, interoperable technologies while supporting in-Kingdom production, workforce development, and sustainable capability growth aligned with Vision 2030.”

This agreement centers on advanced vehicle-mounted combat computing server systems, rugged displays and driver thermal vision enhancement technologies designed to modernize Land C2 [Command and Control], platform navigation and Friendly Force Tracking capabilities. By combining Leonardo DRS’ combat-proven technologies with SAMI’s manufacturing expertise, the partnership aims to deliver state-of-the-art capabilities produced in-country to support the modernization of Saudi Arabia’s military vehicle fleets.

Beyond Saudi Arabia, Leonardo DRS continues to pursue partnerships across the Middle East and North Africa, working with government and industry stakeholders in Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Bahrain, and the UAE to expand access to advanced, interoperable defense capabilities aligned with regional modernization priorities.

A cornerstone of this portfolio is the company’s advanced Battle Management System (BMS), which leverages much of the same technology fielded by the U.S. Army’s Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFoCS) and the United Kingdom’s Bowman digital battlefield communications program. This mission-critical situational awareness capability is internationally interoperable and currently used by U.S. allies across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and Australia.

The Leonardo DRS BMS is a high-performance combat computing solution designed for tactical ground vehicles and weapons platforms. The system supports a wide range of advanced applications integrating Blue Force Tracking, voice line of sight and beyond line of sight communications, data, video, sensors, counter-UAS systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and emerging artificial intelligence tools.

Voice, data, video, and sensors from onboard systems can be shared seamlessly across the tactical network with adjacent platforms, mobile and fixed command posts, higher headquarters, and joint / coalition partners when required, enabling faster decision-making and improved operational effectiveness.

Most recently, the Polish, Taiwanese, Thai, and Romanian armies have purchased and/or fielded the latest Leonardo DRS BMS systems on newly delivered Abrams main battle tanks and Stryker vehicles. Several additional allied nations are expected to announce BMS integrations as part of ongoing combat vehicle modernization programs.

For nations seeking to expand local technical expertise, Leonardo DRS also supports the development of in-country integration laboratories to build workforce capability and sustain long-term operational readiness.

Today’s complex battlefields demand integrated, networked systems capable of rapidly identifying threats, tracking friendly and adversary forces, and delivering actionable information to commanders at every echelon. Leonardo DRS stands ready to continue partnering with allies across the Middle East, delivering advanced technology and integration expertise that strengthens national defense today while preparing forces for the challenges of tomorrow.

To learn more about Leonardo DRS’ combat-proven technologies and how we are supporting defense modernization across the Middle East, visit the Leonardo DRS booth at World Defense Show, Stand G17.1. Our team will be available to discuss current programs, future capabilities, and partnership opportunities. For more information about the Leonardo DRS Battle Management Systems capability, visit LeonardoDRS.com/BMS.