San Diego-based defense contractor General Atomics announced at the International Defense Exhibition in Abu Dhabi this week that it is in talks with Saudi Arabia for the potential sale of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, a deal that would provide more U.S.-made equipment to the Middle Eastern nation.

If the deal goes through, it would be one of the first major drone deals between Saudi Arabia and a Western supplier. Historically, the kingdom has purchased drones from non-Western supplies, including China and Turkey. 

“We are still in the very early stages but are pursuing this hard as there is a huge interest coming from Saudi regarding the MQ-9B,” General Atomics Aeronautical Systems President Dave Alexander told the publication Defense News this week.  

General Atomics has not revealed the exact number of drones that would be delivered if a deal is reached.

The IDEX announcement comes just days after the company signed a deal with Canadian Aviation Electronics to produce 50 MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones and 11 mission trainers over the next five years. 

General Atomics has been seeking to expand its business in the Gulf region, noting that a drone sale to Saudi Arabia could create thousands of jobs in the U.S. and would involve significant industrial participation from the Gulf kingdom. 

President Trump’s return to the White House offers a strong buying opportunity for the Gulf kingdom. Mr. Trump’s attitude toward Saudi Arabia is friendlier than former President Joseph R. Biden, who pointed to longstanding criticisms of Riyadh’s human rights record. Mr. Trump’s closeness to the Saudi regime’s leaders could influence future arms sales and make procurement easier, analysts said.

Mr. Trump could also speed up the delivery of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones to other Gulf states, which were delayed under the Biden administration. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates purchased the drones from General Atomics in 2020, but saw the deliveries were put on hold due to security concerns from Washington.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.