Vector and REDSALT Defense Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement at World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Vector, an American defense-as-a-service company, today announced a strategic partnership with REDSALT Defense to support system integration and long-term capability development and deployment across Saudi Arabia and the region.

The partnership was formalized at an event on the sidelines of the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, and was signed by Andy Yakulis, Chief Executive Officer of Vector, and Lucien Zeigler, Chief Executive Officer of REDSALT Defense. 

Vector has established itself as a leading American manufacturer of unmanned systems, as evidenced by its recent downselect for the $1.1B Drone Dominance Program, and will work to bring this technology to one of the most strategic U.S. partners in the region. 

Under the agreement, REDSALT Defense serves as Vector’s lead partner for capability development, localization planning, and operational integration, guiding Vector’s growth from initial deployment through its long-term regional operational presence. This agreement reinforces the company’s commitment to advancing the U.S. national security priority of leveraging American military systems to support Gulf defense capacity against regional threats, as outlined in this year’s National Defense Strategy.

The Vector-REDSALT partnership also operates in accordance with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a campaign to achieve 50% defense localization by 2030. The collaboration focuses on industrial enablement; end-user engagement and system adoption; and long-term sustainment, training, and services through a capacity-driven partnership model. 

“Collaborating with REDSALT helps us further explore a strategically important defense market,” said Andy Yakulis, CEO of Vector. “The partnership will allow us to provide the technical depth, regional execution capability, and strategic alignment necessary to deploy Vector systems effectively and at scale.”

“Vector Defense represents the highest standard of American defense innovation—not only because of the technology itself, but because of the experience and discipline of the team behind it,” said Lucien Zeigler, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of REDSALT Defense. “As a close ally and strategic partner of the United States, Saudi Arabia deserves access to the world’s most advanced, mission-ready defense capabilities. This partnership demonstrates how leading U.S. technologies can be responsibly introduced, localized, and operationalized in the Kingdom in support of Vision 2030.”