Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SAMI‑AEC, a subsidiary of SAMI – a PIF company, announced its strategic collaboration with Lockheed Martin in the opening of a new software factory in Riyadh. The initiative is intended to accelerate the local development of advanced software solutions, strengthen national software engineering capabilities, and support Saudi Arabia’s evolving digital command and control ecosystem.

The software factory will serve as an advanced platform for end to end software development, rapid prototyping, integration, testing, and deployment. It will enable Saudi teams to deliver mission-relevant software enhancements more quickly and more efficiently across diverse operational environments, while embedding disciplined engineering practices and structured knowledge transfer. The facility also provides a professional environment for talent development, including hands-on training, mentoring, and exposure to global best practices in secure software engineering and systems integration.

By creating a local center of excellence for software development and integration, the collaboration supports the Kingdom’s broader objectives to grow national technical capabilities and strengthen operational autonomy in critical digital domains, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Within the first two weeks of the collaboration, Saudi engineers and trainees from SAMI-AEC worked alongside Lockheed Martin teams to develop an operational capability that integrates commercial aircraft location data directly into the operational common picture within Lockheed Martin’s CommandIQ™ system. This early delivery highlights the speed and effectiveness of local technical integration, and demonstrates how close collaboration between Saudi engineering teams and global technology leaders can rapidly translate into tangible capability outcomes.

Ziad Al-Musallam, CEO of SAMI-AEC, said: “We are proud to collaborate with Lockheed Martin in opening the software factory in Riyadh. This initiative reflects our commitment to developing local capabilities in software and digital solutions and to building a robust environment where Saudi engineers can gain practical, high-impact technical expertise. The software factory strengthens readiness, accelerates integration outcomes, and contributes to the continued advancement of the Kingdom’s digital command and control ecosystem.”

The software factory is expected to support the delivery of scalable software capabilities, reduce cycle time for integration and enhancements, and expand opportunities for Saudi engineers to contribute directly to complex software development programs. It also reinforces SAMI-AEC’s long-term focus on building sustainable national capabilities by enabling structured skills development and advancing a modern, resilient digital ecosystem within the Kingdom.

About SAMI‑AEC

Founded in 1988 in Riyadh, SAMI-AEC is a leading organization in the fields of electronic manufacturing and advanced technologies in the region. The company plays a pivotal role in empowering national talent and creating quality opportunities that meet future needs across high-value technical domains. SAMI-AEC’s workforce consists of more than 4,300 employees, 82% of whom are highly qualified Saudi nationals, including more than 1,600 certified engineers and experts, reflecting the company’s commitment to excellence, capability development, and innovation.

SAMI Advanced Electronics Company (SAMI-AEC), a company owned by SAMI, marked the 27th anniversary of its longstanding partnership with King Saud University (KSU) during the university’s annual ceremony honoring the winners of this year’s Best Graduation Project Award. The occasion reaffirmed SAMI-AEC’s sustained commitment to supporting and empowering young Saudi talent, and to strengthening the academic and innovation ecosystem across engineering and technology disciplines.

Sponsored by SAMI-AEC, the award recognizes outstanding student achievements from the College of Computer and Information Sciences and the College of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, across key categories that reflect scientific progress, excellence, and innovation. These categories include Best Project, Best Student, Best Idea, and Best Project in the Electronics Laboratory.

Through this recognition, SAMI-AEC continues to encourage students who develop practical solutions and technology-driven innovations that create value for the Kingdom and society. By honoring this year’s graduating cohort, the Class of 2026, SAMI-AEC celebrates its 27th consecutive year of sponsoring the award and supporting KSU students.

On this occasion, Eng. Ziad Al-Musallam, CEO of SAMI-AEC, expressed pride in the enduring partnership, stating: “We are proud to sponsor the Best Graduation Project Award at the College of Computer and Information Sciences and the College of Engineering’s Electrical Engineering Department at King Saud University for nearly three decades.

Our objective is clear: to recognize and elevate young Saudi talent and to support their innovative technological breakthroughs in line with the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030. Many former award recipients today hold influential leadership roles and contribute meaningfully to national efforts aimed at building a diversified, knowledge-based economy.”

Eng. Al-Musallam added: “At SAMI-AEC, empowering national talent and strengthening capabilities is a long-term commitment. This is reflected not only in our sponsorship of this award, but also in our broader efforts to build a knowledge-driven environment for Saudi youth. Among our key initiatives is the establishment of a fully equipped electronics laboratory at the College of Computer and Information Sciences. We remain committed to supporting the students of the college and enabling an environment that helps them advance their skills and respond to future academic and professional demands.”

Prof. Ali bin Mohammed Masmali, Acting President of King Saud University, expressed his appreciation for the partnership, stating: “Our collaboration with SAMI-AEC over the past 27 years has strengthened the university’s innovation ecosystem and encouraged students to develop high-impact ideas and pioneering projects aligned with national development goals. We highly value the company’s continued support for this award, which has played a significant role in enhancing positive competition among students and advancing scientific and academic excellence.”

During this year’s ceremony, first place in the Scientific Progress Award was awarded to the project Rotman Lenses. Second place went to Wafrah, while third place was awarded to the Drone Positioning System project. The Innovation Award was won by Jazm. Students Mashari Al-Dawood, Yara Al-Fouzan, and Raghad Bin Khuraif were recognized for winning the Excellence Award. PlasterMate received the award for Best Graduation Project, while Swimming Assistant System was awarded Best Idea in the SAMI-AEC Lab.

Over 27 years of continuous sponsorship, the award has supported the development of numerous high-quality projects and helped accelerate student achievement across critical engineering and technology fields. SAMI-AEC’s ongoing support reflects its commitment to investing in the Kingdom’s most promising talent and providing meaningful opportunities for growth, development, and long-term contribution to national priorities.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: SAMI Advanced Electronics Company (SAMI-AEC), a wholly owned subsidiary of SAMI, has been awarded the “Best Value Creation of the Year” at the 2025 PIF PMO Awards. The award, presented by the Public Investment Fund, recognizes leading projects and programs across its portfolio companies that deliver measurable impact, national alignment, and operational excellence.

SAMI-AEC’s winning submission centered on the HEMA Surveillance System—an advanced, AI-powered platform designed and engineered in the Kingdom to support multi-domain surveillance and threat detection across both military and non-military applications. The HEMA program, developed under SAMI-AEC’s Capability Uplift Program, was recognized for its contribution to strategic localization, sovereign technology development, and long-term value creation for the Kingdom. The solution showcases how AI, modular system design, and Saudi engineering can come together to address critical national security needs in a scalable and future-proof manner.

This recognition underscores SAMI-AEC’s role as a key enabler of Vision 2030 and a trusted technology partner in Saudi Arabia’s defense and security ecosystem. Through the HEMA program and others under the CUP umbrella, the company continues to advance localization rates, boost technology readiness levels, and deliver tangible national value across a broad portfolio of over 200 programs governed under its AIM (Aligned Integrated Methodology) framework.

Commenting on the award, Eng. Ziad Al-Musallam, CEO of SAMI-AEC, stated: “Participating in the PIF PMO Awards was an important moment for our organization. Winning the Best Value Creation category is a direct reflection of the incredible effort, focus, and national alignment our teams bring to every project. HEMA is not just a surveillance solution—it’s a platform for sovereignty, resilience, and future readiness.”

SAMI-AEC remains deeply committed to building indigenous capabilities, investing in Saudi talent, and driving long-term technological transformation. The PIF PMO Award is a strong endorsement of SAMI-AEC’s ability to translate strategic vision into national impact.

About SAMI-AEC

SAMI Advanced Electronics Company (SAMI-AEC) was established in 1988 in Riyadh and has grown into a national leader in electronics manufacturing and advanced technology solutions. The company plays a vital role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by building local capabilities, fostering innovation, and empowering Saudi youth to lead the Kingdom’s technological transformation. SAMI-AEC employs more than 4,008 staff members, 82% of whom are highly qualified Saudi professionals, forming a fundamental pillar in the company’s journey of success and growth. The workforce includes over 1,600 engineers and certified experts, reflecting SAMI Advanced Electronics Company’s commitment to excellence and innovation.