Saudi Arabia has laid out a sweeping plan to put its armaments industry under a holding company as it prepares for the post-oil era. The kingdom will seek to restructure several military contracts to tie them to Saudi industry. The initiative will lead to increased demands for offsets and technology transfers, and place further burdens on joint ventures.
President Jacob Zuma backed the commission’s findings that offsets meant to flow from the arms procurement have substantially materialised and ordered the report to be released in full, generating tremors of disbelief but not surprise. It made no recommendations because it found no wrongdoing.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has chosen the state-controlled French DCNS consortium for the contract to build twelve submarines. The submarine fleet will be built in Adelaide. The French media hailed it as the contract of the century. “It offers meaningful workshare and technology transfer”.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced a policy for “the salvation” of its naval shipbuilding industry. He said offshore patrol vessels would be built in Adelaide. Forty-eight hours later he confirmed he intends to call an election for July 2nd. Up to three seats are in doubt for the government in South Australia.
South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance party wants to know why a South African company has set up a factory in Saudi Arabia to manufacture shells and ammunition and why neither South Africa’s parliament nor media were informed.