INSIGHT: Understanding Saudi Vision for defence industry and why Nigerian fighters are hot news

This week’s Insight programme, hosted by Marcelle Nethersole, looks at the world of two of the major players in the Middle East and Africa regions.Saudi Arabia has ambitious plans to develop its defence industry and has given GAMI – the Kingdom’s General Authority for Military Industries – a mandate to to localize 50% of Saudi Arabia’s military spending over the next decade.A key part of the Saudi Vision 2030 strategy GAMI will act as the regulator, enabler and licensor for the defence industry and will work with international defence companies and specifically the OEMs to see this change through.The Governor of GAMI, His Excellency, Ahmad Al Ohali, talks to defence editor Alan Warnes about the three strategic focus pillars: industry regulation; acquisition; and technology and also explains why the organisation is fully behind the World Defense Show which will take place in Riyadh in 2022.Meanwhile, in Africa, Nigeria is preparing to enter a new era in its air defence. The Chinese-Pakistan fighter, the JF-17 Thunder has been painted and ready to be delivered to Abuja imminently. But defence editor Jon Lake looks at whether this is the start of something bigger. With new models in the pipeline and greater demands on the Nigerian air force to fight the Boko Haram insurgencies, the Nigerian Air Force could be widening its sights.This week’s Insight programme is brought to you with the support of Alsalam Aerospace Industries, the diversified maintenance service provider based in Riyadh.