Amid heightened regional security challenges and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has taken significant strides to bolster its domestic military capabilities. Satellite imagery indicates a major infrastructure expansion at the Al-Dawadimi missile production complex, located approximately 200 kilometers west of the capital, Riyadh.
The findings were published by analysts Sam Lair and Michael Duitsman from the US-based nonpartisan think tank, the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), following an in-depth analysis of satellite imagery captured by Planet Labs between April 2025 and September 2026.
Satellite photos reveal a newly constructed facility featuring a solid-fuel casting pit at least twice the size of the complex’s existing structure. Casting pits are critical for solid-propellant missiles, as propellant mixtures are poured directly into motor casings to cure. Heavy protective blast walls were also identified adjacent to the new facility to mitigate potential explosion risks.
FPRI researchers conclude that the expansion aims to manufacture larger, high-capacity solid-fuel ballistic missiles capable of carrying significantly heavier warheads or striking targets at much longer ranges.
Solid-fuel missile systems offer superior long-term storage and rapid deployment capabilities compared to liquid-fueled counterparts. Domestic production reduces Riyadh’s reliance on foreign arms suppliers to deter threats from Iran or Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The expansion is expected to fuel the regional missile race and trigger renewed opposition in the US Congress regarding the proposed US-Saudi civilian nuclear cooperation agreement over proliferation concerns.
