@The SC
What is your estimation of the domestic missiles in the RSASMF arsenal? Do you think that they are all based on the DF-3, DF-21 (potentially other Chinese missiles?) or would there be others as well? We can almost with certainty say that the KSA-Ukraine cooperation in the past 10-15 years probably gave rise to the Hrim-2 missile.
en.wikipedia.org
Scud missiles have probably also been copied.
I am curious, have there ever been any reports of KSA missile cooperation with the likes of USSR/Russia? Or even the likes of North Korea? We all know that North Korea and Iran have worked together on this front for example.
Of course not including the Pakistan option here.
Old news:
KF-500 Saudi Arabian made jet engine used in small private aircraft, drones, and guided missiles. The engine was developed in JV by Brazil turbomachine company and KACST (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology)
Solid-propellant rocket tested at KAUST:
Several years old news:
Saudi Arabian manufactured and developed cruise missile (land-sea) and (land-to-ground)
110 km range, work ongoing on increasing the range to 200 km.
More old news but yet telling:
According to a Saudi Arabian source: The Saudi Arabian ballistic missile that appeared in the last defense exhibition was tested outside Saudi Arabia by the forces … while it did not refer to the area in which it was tested. -: Work is currently underway on additional development to increase the range - : It is expected that additional information about the missile will appear soon.
Here 2.5 years later, correct me if I am wrong, we still don't know the identity of the missile due to the secrecy.
This photo for instance is 20 + years old (early 2000's):
View attachment 104159
Another telling photos from almost 15 years ago:
View attachment 104158
DF-3A on the far left, Pakistani (I alluded to it earlier) Ghauri 1 missile on the right and in the middle the Ghauri 3 missile I believe?
Lastly, there have been some rumours of the DF-17 (HGV) and Saudi Arabia as well.
Curious to hear from our Chinese friends, what they have been reading/hearing about on this topic.
Also if KSA and Iran develops closer ties, now that ties are mostly non-hostile, neutral and starting to improve, could there be a cooperation on this front? Most likely very far-fetched but If we have buried the hatchet there is no reason not to potentially share technology/founding/a mutually beneficial partnership. It is not like KSA and Iran have fought wars against each other previously or are likely to do it in the future either. If it did not occur between 1979 and 2023 it likely won't occur in the future either.
At least the Iranians, unlike us, don't have this degree of secrecy involved and it is much more exciting for them to follow their developments on this front. We have to do with some Western reports every 3-5 years and some hints here and there and reports here and there.
As a last comment, a thought experiment, now that Russia is heavily cash-strapped what would it take for them to be willing to share some of their missile tech with KSA if the offer is good enough? What would 10 billion USD get for instance?
Now with US trying to lure Russia back into the Western fold and to end hostilities, we could give the Russians some kind of deal where they could have access (joint naval base for instance) to the Red Sea or Gulf. Of course policies in regards to Horn of Africa/Sahel/Africa and the region must align first.
I would cooperate with North Korea as well and everyone else willing to cooperate.
