NAPMA: Saudi Arabia’s Move to Localise Aviation Manufacturing Industry

Facilitating Technology Transfer in Line with Vision 2030

The Non-Profit Aircraft Manufacturers Association “NAPMA” is a new star in the Saudi aircraft manufacturing sector. The Kingdom’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has announced its establishment as a strategic move to localise the aviation industry and enhance its competitiveness, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Strategy.

This announcement was made in a press release by the official spokesperson of the Ministry, Jarrah bin Mohammed Al-Jarrah, on his X account, coinciding with the celebration of International Civil Aviation Day.

According to several press sources, the establishment of this association provides an institutional framework to unify and direct private sector efforts in supporting the development of national industrial capabilities in aviation, thereby strengthening the Kingdom’s regional and global standing in this vital sector.

The association was founded as part of the “Netaj” initiative, launched by the Ministry last October, aiming to empower non-profit organisations in the industrial and mining sectors by providing institutional support, financial, technical, and regulatory services, as well as integrated logistics and business development services.

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Facilities at Boeing South Carolina / Credit: Photographs in Carol M. Highsmith’s America Project in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive- Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division / License: Public Domain (Modified)

What are the Association’s Objectives?

According to a post by the Ministry’s spokesman on LinkedIn, the association will contribute to the development of the aviation industry through several key steps, most notably supporting initiatives for the local manufacturing of aircraft and their components to reduce reliance on imports. It will also provide consulting services to manufacturers and research institutions, introduce investors to available opportunities in the Saudi aviation sector, and organise industrial exhibitions, events, and specialised forums to showcase local manufacturers’ capabilities and connect them with strategic partners both locally and internationally.

Additionally, the association will launch training and professional qualification programs to develop national talent in manufacturing, maintenance, and research and development (R&D) in aviation. It will also work to build partnerships with universities, research centres, and engineering and industrial institutions to foster an environment of research, innovation, and technology transfer.

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Lockheed Martin Office, Colorado Springs / Credit: Photo by Lumen Wilde – Wikimedia Commons / License: CC BY 2.0 (Modified)

A Step to Boost Aviation Industry Localisation

In a related context, Program Manager at Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia and leader of the THAAD missile defence program in the Kingdom, announced his membership in the association.

In a LinkedIn post, Al-Khathami stated: “I am honoured to join as a founding member of the Non-Profit Aircraft Manufacturers Association, established under the patronage of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources as part of efforts to empower the non-profit industrial sector.”

He considered the association “a strategic step that enhances the localisation of the aviation industry and opens broad horizons for integration between national talent and the advanced industrial sector.”

It is worth noting that the aviation manufacturing sector is among 12 industrial sectors targeted by Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Strategy for development and technology localisation. The Ministry has focused on building partnerships and enhancing cooperation with major global aviation companies, including Airbus , Boeing , and Embraer , to attract quality investments and transfer technology, knowledge, and innovation in aircraft manufacturing and maintenance.

Last February, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in cooperation with the General Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), launched the “AeroPark-1” complex in Jeddah Province.

Covering 1.2 million square meters, the complex offers tangible proof of the Kingdom’s industrial resolve. It serves as the foundation for a homegrown aviation ecosystem, converting Saudi Vision 2030 into a working reality, carving out a space for the Kingdom among the world’s aerospace leaders.

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