Saudi Arabia is building a facility that could be a ballistic missile factory, about 200 kilometers west of Riyadh. Construction near al-Duadami began in April 2025, and as of September 2026, the site was still not completed.
Satellite images were analyzed by Sam Lear and Michael Deutzman of the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies. According to them, the new building is at least twice the size of the existing facility, with alleged shafts for casting rocket engines. Two deep shafts have been noticed in it, and massive walls have been built on both sides to deflect the shock wave in the event of an explosion.
Traces of Chinese technology
The construction of the complex resembles missile production facilities in China. This supports the assumption that Saudi Arabia may use Chinese technology, but there is no official confirmation of military-industrial cooperation between the two countries. Saudi and Chinese authorities have not commented on the data.
According to Defense News, analysts assume that the new infrastructure may be designed for larger solid-fuel missiles with a longer range or a heavier warhead. “Satellite images suggest that Saudi Arabia is expanding its missile complex infrastructure, possibly to produce larger missiles that can carry heavier payloads or have longer ranges“, Lear and Deutzman wrote in their assessment.
The DF-15A Connection
The new facility comes after reports of Chinese-made DF-15A missiles being used against the Houthis in Yemen in September. This type of ballistic missile has a range of about 900 kilometers. Defense Express reported that photos of the remains of a Chinese-made missile have led to speculation that the weapon was used by Saudi Arabia.
The actual use of the DF-15A by Saudi forces has not been officially confirmed. The Defense News article states that Sam Lear suggests that the kingdom is already producing the solid-fuel DF-15, while the expansion near al-Duadami is likely intended for the longer-range DF-21 or a similar missile.
Saudi Arabia has already been linked to China's DF-3 and DF-21, which are believed to be stored in underground bases. If the new facility becomes operational, Riyadh will have greater independence in the production and maintenance of ballistic missiles. Analysts warn that this could intensify the missile race in the Middle East.
Sources: focus-news.net, defensenews.com, en.defence-ua.com