Saudi Arabia Ramped Up Ballistic Missile Program With China's Help, Says Report

[TomSea]

Saudi Arabia Ramped Up Ballistic Missile Program With China's Help, Says Report
By Nandika Chand 06/06/19 AT 7:09 AM

China has helped Saudi Arabia escalate its ballistic missile program, US intelligence has found, a report said quoting unnamed sources. This could threaten decades of U.S. efforts to ‘limit missile proliferation’ in the Middle East.

Ballistic missiles have the ability to carry nuclear warheads to targets thousands of kilometers away. Saudi Arabia is United States’ biggest weapons buyer, but it is barred from purchasing ballistic missiles under regulations set forth under the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The MTCR aims to limit the spread of ballistic missiles and other unmanned delivery systems that could be used for chemical, biological and nuclear attacks.

The intelligence newly available shows that the oil-rich Islamic kingdom has expanded it missile infrastructure and technology through recent purchases from China. Although it was known to have made some missile purchases from China a few decades back, it was not known to have pursued the ability to develop and build missiles. The Saudi embassy in the U.S. did not respond to CNN's request for comments.

Read more at: https://www.ibtimes.com/saudi-arabia-ramped-ballistic-missile-program-chinas-help-says-report-2798331