Agnes Helou

The merger, in the works with US help, is part of what experts say is the Kingdom's ambitious, if now-nascent defense space build-up.

“We are confident that this strategic expansion will bolster our operations and contribute to our sustained growth and success in Latin America,"Aselsan's general manager, Ahmet Akyol, said in a statement.

Amid Iranian criticisim, "Jordanian leaders have been very clear to portray their action as defensive and in protection of their own sovereignty rather than any act in support of Israel, and this is sincere," an analyst told Breaking Defense.

Amid Iranian criticisim, "Jordanian leaders have been very clear to portray their action as defensive and in protection of their own sovereignty rather than any act in support of Israel, and this is sincere," an analyst told Breaking Defense.

Tehran has been increasingly public about its air defense capabilities, including showing off models of systems at a recent international defense expo.

Though virtually none of the estimated 170 drones Iran launched at Israel got through defenses, analysts told Breaking Defense there's an eager market globally for Tehran's relatively cheap, normally effective UAVs.

Despite optimistic talk from top diplomats in both the US and Saudi Arabia, regional experts don't see any movement in the near term, due both to Riyadh's demands and the Gaza conflict.

Temel Kotil, TAI's general manager, claimed that the domestically-produced Turkish jet will outperform the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

"As the Kuwaitis work to modernize their military, Ankara eyes the lion’s share of Kuwait’s defense procurements," analyst Ali Bakir told Breaking Defense. "Turkey is willing to offer a range of its modern, cost-effective and highly capable weapons..."

"The choice to open an ammunition facility in Indonesia reflects the [United Arab Emirate’s] steady progress in climbing the so-called 'ladder of production' in the defense industry," analyst Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco told Breaking Defense.