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New Hawk Jets Platforms Manufactured by Saudi Arabia | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 advanced jet trainer aircraft. (AFP)


Dammam – Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) announced on Monday that it finished the manufacturing of 18 platforms for Hawk jets, alongside its ground equipment.

The manufacturing was carried out by the Riyadh-based Sipchem subsidiary, the Saudi Specialized Products Company (WAHAJ).

Sipchem stated that the Hawk platforms project is the first cooperation with the Saudi BAE Systems, adding that all the platforms were shipped from Riyadh to the United Kingdom to complete their usage measures.

The Hawk platforms were completely manufactured by Saudi hands at WAHAJ’s headquarters in Riyadh’s Second Industrial City.

The company pointed out that the platforms’ manufacturing went through many stages that relied on the latest German technology used in the three-dimensional designs, before the verification of the products’ efficiency and compatibility with specifications and quality standards.

Abdulrahman Al Saif, chairman of WAHAJ, said: “Such a step emphasizes the company’s determination to contribute to the enhancement of the local production of military industries in the Kingdom as part of its ambitious Vision 2030.”

Sipchem owns 75 percent of WAHAJ, which was established in 2013 as part of supporting manufacturing projects in the Kingdom through the Riyadh Metal Parts Factory and the thin-film solar panel factory in Hail.

After the completion of commercial operation of WAHAJ in Riyadh in 2016, the company began focusing a significant part of its operations on the military and defense-supporting industries.