CNN Exclusive: US intel and satellite images show Saudi Arabia is now building its own ballistic missiles with help of China

[Valar.]

Honestly, I feel bad for Iran.

They suffered all the sanctions to get what? Something that Saudis can get that easily without even giving up their lavish lifestyle.

 

[zartosht]

I guess this is the biggest proof that Iranian strategy is working.

saudis are realizing their 100s of billions spent on american military is absolutely useless.. so now they are begging everyone and their mothers for missiles... a few missiles will not alter the strategic calculus here.

Iran can build precision strike missiles at will with virtually any range. the saudis will build a few dozen missile with the chinese holding their hands. I doubt china is dumb enough to rely on the sauds.. Their entire regime is dependent on american support. a single look from washington is all it takes and saudis would cut all oil off to china.

And Iran is not complaining too much either. Geopolitics work in wierd ways. Iran has good relations with south korea and japan. 2 north korean/chinese enemies.

 

[Shotgunner51]

Honestly, I feel bad for Iran.

They suffered all the sanctions to get what? Something that Saudis can get that easily without even giving up their lavish lifestyle.

Iran is no stranger to ballistic missile! If you look at the timeline, when KSA signed the deal to buy DF-3A IRBM in 1987, Iran has already been using Scud SRBM in actual war operation against Iraq. When it comes to indigenous programs, KSA's local production of DF-21 MRBM only began in recent years, while Iran has a much earlier startup with many solo or joint programs (Scud-B, Hwasong-5, Shahab, Rodong, Qiam, etc) some even dated back since coop with former Soviet Union and North Korea. Iran is very experienced and potent in this field of ballistic missiles including space launch vehicles, the sanctions you mentioned are unrelated with this but nuclear programs.

North Korea–Iran missile cooperation is reason for ambitious diplomacy

Fresh reports of missile cooperation between North Korea and Iran underline the fact that Tehran will never give up its missile development programme, explains Mark Fitzpatrick. Is now the time to focus on transparency and limiting missile ranges instead?

www.iiss.org

Iran, North Korea Deepen Missile Cooperation | Arms Control Association

www.armscontrol.org

 

[Valar.]

Iran is no stranger to ballistic missile! If you look at the timeline, when KSA first bought DF-3A IRBM in 1987, Iran has already been using Scud SRBM in actual war operation against Iraq. When it comes to indigenous programs, KSA's local production of DF-21 MRBM only began in recent years, while Iran has a much earlier startup with many solo or joint programs (Scud-B, Hwasong-5, Shahab, Rodong, Qiam, etc) some even dated back since working with former Soviet Union and North Korea. Iran is very experienced and potent in this field of ballistic missiles including space launch vehicles, the sanctions you mentioned are unrelated with this.

2 guys thought it's a good idea to get a gun to defend themself.

One guy destroyed his youth, ruined his business, mess with the Sheriff of town, got distrust from entire neighbourhood, got bad press from half the city and acquired a gun.

The other guy enjoyed his life to the fullest, expanded his business multiple folds, built a mansion, drove the best cars and simply went to local gun shop and bought a gun.

End of the day, both have guns.

Whose approach was better?

You probably believe the first guy. I believe the other guy's approach was right.

 

[Shotgunner51]

2 guys thought it's a good idea to get a gun to defend themself.

One guy destroyed his youth, ruined his business, mess with the Sheriff of town, got distrust from entire neighbourhood, got bad press from half the city and acquired a gun.

The other guy enjoyed his life to the fullest, expanded his business multiple folds, built a mansion, drove the best cars and simply went to local gun shop and bought a gun.

End of the day, both have guns.

Whose approach was better?

You probably believe the first guy. I believe the other guy's approach was right.

Well bro I'm just sharing some info about the topic here (ballistic missile) in a tech or development context, I know little about KSA/Iran domestic politics and can't form an opinion on how they run their countries.

 

[Paul2]

saudis are realizing their 100s of billions spent on american military is absolutely useless.. so now they are begging everyone and their mothers for missiles... a few missiles will not alter the strategic calculus here.

exactly 10000%

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Keep Pakistan out of this or try to remain out of discussion. This development has nothing to do with Pakistan.

Not sure why the smily. If Pakistan had anything to do with it then Saudis will not lend $3 billion with humiliating conditions.

 

[The SC]

Saudi Arabia's development of its missile program on the Chinese DF-3 missile system, or DF-21 and many other systems, will make the cost of establishing a defense system to cover the entire area of Iran, a form of madness..While the defense system in the Kingdom, the Patriot .. went through an extensive field experience and was able to gain confidence.

A country like the Kingdom has enough money and manpower to get the technology needed for the arms race.

Iran, and because of the tense situation with the region and the great powers, was unable to access many sensitive technologies, and then the Iranian Revolutionary Guard focused on the local development of missile equipment and unmanned aircraft.

But Saudi Arabia's development of indigenous ballistic missiles would be a mapping of the future of the Persian Gulf..

As of now:

 

[Hassan Al-Somal]

The White House: You should know that it is difficult to impose sanctions on the Saudi government.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1474371808166043653

US President Joe Biden is preparing to impose sanctions on entities linked to technology transfer of Chinese ballistic missiles to Saudi Arabia.
-
And the American network, “CNN”, quoted informed sources as saying that the Biden administration is preparing to punish some organizations involved in ballistic missile technology transfers between China and Saudi Arabia
About which some members of the US Congress were briefed on new intelligence over the past few months.

The sources added that this comes at a time when some members of Congress announced that the White House
is not willing to impose significant sanctions on the Saudi government.

And according to what was translated from a report by the American network, the American intelligence agencies assessed that Saudi Arabia is now actively working on manufacturing its own ballistic missiles with the help of China.

What do the Americans expect from the Saudis and Chinese to do in this case? Saudi Arabia is creating or has created local development and production of ballistic missiles, and the Chinese were and are earning a hard currency and new friends. So to America, what is the point of sanctioning those Chinese firms? Are they trying to scare away others from dealing with the Chinese firms?

 

[The SC]

What do the Americans expect from the Saudis and Chinese to do in this case? Saudi Arabia is creating or has created local development and production of ballistic missiles, and the Chinese were and are earning a hard currency and new friends. So to America, what is the point of sanctioning those Chinese firms? Are they trying to scare away others from dealing with the Chinese firms?

Creating an imaginary foe is an old dirty political trick fo local consumption..

 

[Hassan Al-Somal]

Creating an imaginary foe is an old dirty political trick fo local consumption..

I also think Saudi Arabia is a big customer for America's military-industrial complex; therefore, any Saudi local weapons development worries the contractors and weapons manufacturers in the US. And it seems sanctioning those Chinese firms is designed to translate to all of the customers of those firms, including Saudi Arabia, to stay clear from making any further deals with them. Lately, Murica has been panicking when they come across any Middle Eastern or African country dealing with China

 

[Shotgunner51]

I also think Saudi Arabia is a big customer for America's military-industrial complex; therefore, any Saudi local weapons development worries the contractors and weapons manufacturers in the US. And it seems sanctioning those Chinese firms is designed to translate to all of the customers of those firms, including Saudi Arabia, to stay clear from making any further deals with them. Lately, Murica has been panicking when they come across any Middle Eastern or African country dealing with China

The deal is decades old even dated before MTCR why the Americans "suddenly" jump over it? They sell ballistic missiles to UK, why cry the hypocrisy? I guess that's for their domestic consumption citing Biden administration's soft response (even their Congress) to the "news". Whatever sanctions won't matter a bit to those firms or China anyway, and I don't think they dare to sanction KSA.

 

[The SC]

I also think Saudi Arabia is a big customer for America's military-industrial complex; therefore, any Saudi local weapons development worries the contractors and weapons manufacturers in the US. And it seems sanctioning those Chinese firms is designed to translate to all of the customers of those firms, including Saudi Arabia, to stay clear from making any further deals with them. Lately, Murica has been panicking when they come across any Middle Eastern or African country dealing with China

The US&EU had only one competitor in the arms market and that was Russia with supposedly inferior tech for poor socialist countries..Now the market is open and there is competition in high-tech mostly from China, but Russia also and other smaller players .. of course it is freaking them out..but it is mostly due to their policies of double standards even with faithful partners that don't trust them anymore.. For example the US major companies are ready to sell anything KSA and the UAE want and need.. but the Congress has other agendas..mostly political ones..That got friends fed up with these contradictions..

 

[Shotgunner51]

any Middle Eastern or African country dealing with China

China voluntarily plays by MTCR (which was targeted at China, what an irony) rules these days so no more ballistic missile sale except the decades-old deal with KSA.

But I bet North Korea, a Chinese ally that doesn't give a fluke to MTCR, is open for business as usual. Interested buyers only need to take a trip to Macau, walk into any high-stake casino and spread the words, soon they will be taken to a NK sales representative. No worry, Macau is CIA-free. Well I'm only joking.

 

[Oldman1]

Saudi Arabia is an ally of the USA. I think Americans should be happy that Saudi Arabia can create ICBM, not angry.

Israel asked for Pershing missiles decades ago and the U.S. refused even though Israel is an ally.

DF-31 can attack the USA from Saudi Arabia. This missile cannot be used to attack Iran.

Are you saying that China is telling them what they can and can't do with those missiles? Sounds too American don't you think?