Nuclear & Arms Control — 2026-10-30

Saudi Arabia Expands Missile Factory With Chinese Support as Houthi Attacks Escalate

BLUFSaudi Arabia's expanding solid-propellant missile infrastructure at al-Duwadimi, built with Chinese support, will complicate congressional deliberations on the pending US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement.

Two U.S. researchers, Sam Lair and Michael Duitsman of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, analyzed Planet Labs imagery from April 2025 to September 2026 and assessed that Saudi Arabia is building a suspected solid-propellant casting building at least twice the size of the existing one, plus a possible storage building, at the al-Duwadimi complex west of Riyadh 1. Defense News reported that the facility could begin producing missiles by the end of the year 1. Lair said the kingdom may now be producing the Chinese-designed DF-15, and FPRI identified apparent DF-15 wreckage in Yemen, though Defence Security Asia noted that debris cannot distinguish imported from locally built missiles 123. The imagery does not establish a missile design, production rate or warhead, and the Saudi embassy and Information Ministry did not respond to requests for comment 13.

Analysis
Saudi Arabia is building industrial capacity for solid-propellant missiles, and a casting building at least twice the size of the existing one points toward larger motors or higher output. Completed roofs and installed casting equipment are the next observable milestones, and production could begin by year-end. Apparent DF-15 wreckage in Yemen shows Saudi access to Chinese-designed missiles but not where they were built. The expansion may instead mainly replenish short-range DF-15 class stocks spent in the Houthi war rather than prepare longer-range DF-21 class weapons. Confidence is low because the report rests on one research team's imagery reading, the other outlets repeat it, and there is no second imagery analysis or Saudi confirmation. Congress will weigh the expansion when it considers the US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement.

4 sources

Saudi missile plant expansion may produce more powerful missiles, study says - Defense News
American Ally Turns To Chinese Ballistic Missiles To Challenge Iran And Houthis - Daily Caller
Saudi Arabia Expands Missile Factory, Raising Stakes for Iran - Defence Security Asia
Under Houthi fire, Saudi Arabia looks to China for missile support - Asia Times