L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between its SAMI-L3Harris Joint Venture (JV) and Zamil Shipyards, a leading maritime company based in Saudi Arabia. The MOU will advance local maritime engineering by incorporating autonomous technology into existing and next-generation vessels. This initiative comes within Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries’ efforts in enabling local and international companies operating in related industries towards achieving localization.
“This MOU represents a significant step forward in our commitment to supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with autonomous vehicle technologies,” said Dave Johnson, Vice President, International, L3Harris, and Vice Chairman, SAMI-L3Harris JV. “In cooperation with Zamil Shipyards, we are positioned to transform maritime surveillance and mission execution by leveraging our joint venture and local industrial capabilities.”
Zamil Shipyards will be responsible for the design and construction of autonomous maritime platforms. SAMI-L3Harris will complement these efforts by integrating its autonomous systems, sensors and mission system capabilities.
“We are delighted to sign this MOU to create one of the first ‘Saudi Made’ unmanned surface vessels (USV). We believe that USVs could be a game-changer in helping nations secure their borders, both above and below water, against the increasing nature of asymmetric threats,” said Alastair Bisset, General Manager, Zamil Shipyards. “Through this initiative with SAMI-L3Harris, we intend to develop several modular variants to provide a wide range of surveillance and preventative capabilities.”
The MOU is set to culminate in a series of on-water demonstrations scheduled for 2025. These demonstrations will showcase the progress made through joint efforts and highlight the strategic value of this initiative.
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