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Dr. Khalid Al Biyari opened his US visit with a meeting at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency where he conferred with Director Mary Morgan on defense industrial cooperation and other mutual concerns. The discussion laid groundwork for subsequent engagements at the Pentagon that examined practical means to advance the long-standing strategic relationship. Saudi officials described the talks as constructive and focused on tangible outcomes that would benefit both nations’ defense postures.
At the Pentagon, Al Biyari held separate sessions with Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Gentry Stephen, Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs. These meetings concentrated on enhancing overall defense cooperation while identifying new opportunities to develop the partnership in support of common interests. The conversations also touched on ways to align military capabilities more closely amid ongoing regional challenges.
Al Biyari proceeded to meet Thomas DiNanno, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, to review the broader Saudi-US relationship and its contributions to stability. The exchange underscored the role both countries play in addressing security issues that extend beyond the Gulf region. Participants noted that such high-level dialogue remains essential for coordinating approaches to complex international threats.
The visit concluded with discussions involving chief executives of several major US defense companies that explored collaboration prospects tied directly to Saudi Vision 2030. Attention centered on research and development initiatives, technology transfer mechanisms and efforts to build local defense manufacturing capacity. Saudi participants presented these engagements as key steps toward greater self-reliance in military production while maintaining strong ties with American partners.
The United States has served as Saudi Arabia’s primary defense partner for decades according to assessments by the Congressional Research Service. That body has documented active US arms sales cases with Saudi Arabia valued in the tens of billions of dollars in recent years, covering equipment, training and maintenance support. Such figures illustrate the depth of the relationship that the latest visit seeks to expand.
A report from The Jerusalem Post noted that Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman conducted related high-level meetings with US counterparts in Washington earlier in 2026. Those discussions similarly addressed regional security following joint actions against Iran-backed groups. The current trip by the assistant minister fits within this pattern of sustained high-level coordination between the two capitals on defense and strategic matters.
