Satellite images show Saudi Arabia expands missile production, experts judge to learn from Chinese technology

Reuters reports that satellite images show that Saudi Arabia, which has been in a security dilemma due to conflicts in the Middle East, has been expanding its missile production factory since last year to manufacture solid-fuel ballistic missiles with longer flight range and more power. The technology used may come from China.

Sam Lair and Michael Duitsman, researchers at the US think tank "Foreign Policy Research Institute" (FPRI), analyzed satellite images taken by the US commercial satellite imaging company "Planet Labs" from April last year to September this year at the al-Duwadimi facility 200 kilometers west of the Saudi capital Riyadh.

They discovered that a new building in the area had a pouring pit used to pour the fuel mixture into the missile engine casing and wait for it to solidify. Surrounding walls protect other nearby buildings from accidental explosion damage. The scale is twice as large as the existing factory casting pit. Another new building may be used to store fuel materials or completed missile components.

Two researchers and experts from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and the research organization "CNA" pointed out to Reuters that the composition of the Saudi missile force shows that the Duwadimi factory relies on Chinese technology, and the characteristics of the factory are similar to those of Chinese missile factories.

Since Washington has long restricted the sale of long-range missile systems to Riyadh, it is believed that Saudi Arabia has turned to Beijing for support. Lehr concluded that the missile currently being produced by Saudi Arabia may be the solid-fuel Dongfeng-15, and the new factory in Duwadimi may produce the Dongfeng-21 or similar types of long-range missiles.