SAMI-L3Harris, a joint venture between L3Harris Technologies and Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Saudi Arabia's Zamil Shipyards regarding the integration of autonomous technology into existing and future vessels.
L3Harris said the initiative is part of SAMI's efforts in enabling local and international companies operating in related industries towards achieving localisation.
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.
Alastair Bisset, General Manager of Zamil Shipyards, said the MOU will lead to the creation of some of the first unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to be manufactured in Saudi Arabia.
"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 Bisset. "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.