WORLD DEFENSE SHOW 2026 — Lockheed Martin is partnering with Saudi Arabia’s ERAF to explore the potential development of a combat vehicle-mounted unmanned turret that can be produced in the kingdom, the companies announced today at the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia.
The two firms signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the turret effort at the start of the exhibition here in Riyadh. It’s an early first step, but Tim Cahill, president of Missiles and Fire Control at Lockheed, shared his vision for the program with Breaking Defense.
The turret, currently under development in the UK and unveiled in September, has “got all the latest capabilities built-in for counter-UAS and its own self protection, as well as kind of contributing to the protection of troops,” Cahill said.
A prototype of the platform has been displayed at ERAF’s stand at the exhibition. It features a 30 mm cannon, a Javelin missile launcher on top of the turret and electrooptical system. But it’s also a modular system that can be mounted on different platforms and equipped with different types and calibers of weapons.
“Because we have capability to tie these into broader networking systems, the turret won’t just be a standalone unit. It’ll be tied in connectivity-wise,” Cahill said. “It’ll be another node on the big circuit to provide capability, kind of beyond just in and of itself. So it’ll contribute, for example, to a SHORAD system that is a short range air defense system that would be targeting UAVs, so would have situational awareness of everything that’s going on and be able to contribute to the defense of the troops.”
Since the systems will be built in Saudi Arabia, should the project go ahead, the Saudi side will “have access to all the technology and all the capability,” he said. “And ultimately, we believe that there’s a worldwide market for this. We’ll be able to export these turrets as well.”
Coproduction deals have been been a point of emphasis in the region, including in Saudi Arabia where the kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative in part aims to have some 50 percent of defense production done locally.
The two firms eye to launch serial production if a contract is signed with the Saudi armed forces. Though ERAF already has some infrastructure in place, ERAF vice president of international affairs Surinder Rajput told Breaking Defense that launching a joint production facility “depends on what happens with the next phase.” If it goes ahead, the Saudi facility for the uncrewed turrets would be the second one worldwide after the Lockheed Martin UK facility.
Cahill said Lockheed has “received formal RFIs [requests for information] from the Saudi land forces so far, and the other [potential user] is going to be the National Guard” related to the turret’s capabilities. “And so assuming that they go ahead and pick this solution, [the production facility] be built out, and starting in the next several years,” he said.
The team-up is the latest Lockheed Martin collaboration with other Saudi firms. AIC Steel is subcontracted by Lockheed to develop subsystems of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense. The US-based firm has also launched a software production facility in the Kingdom.
Talking about air defense systems, Cahill said that “what’s clear is that we need more suppliers worldwide and there are very competent, capable suppliers here within Saudi Arabia. They’ve already proved it. The THAAD canisters are outstanding.”
He expected Saudi production facilities to be part of Lockheed’s international supply chain.
“The ERAF example is one where, of course, we’re going to build and yes, there’s going to be export potential there to other countries,” he said. “So that is always our intent, not just you start with the local production for the local units, that’s the starting place, and that helps to support the investment. But then once they’ve created a certified part, that part is they’re intended to have the opportunity to put that part into anybody’s system, anywhere.”
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