CIAO DATE: 08/2014
May 2014
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been quietly but steadily developing their indigenous defense capabilities over the past decade, according to a new report by the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center. In The Gulf Rising: Defense Industrialization in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, senior fellow for Middle East Security Bilal Y. Saab argues that self-sufficiency is not a realistic goal for Saudi Arabia and the UAE. But in some limited security and defense areas both countries have made steps forward. Furthermore, both countries’ military personnel have drastically enhanced their military training and competency and can now operate some of the most sophisticated weapons systems. They have also steadily increased their defense spending as part of their gross domestic product (GDP) and successfully absorbed some technology transfers.
Resource link: The Gulf Rising: Defense Industrialization in Saudi Arabia and the UAE [PDF] - 2.6M