Saudi missile plant expansion may produce more powerful missiles, study says

Saudi Arabia appears to be expanding its ballistic missile factory at Al Duwadimi to build larger solid-fuel missiles, according to US researchers who analyzed satellite images. The expansion could allow production of longer-range missiles, potentially altering the regional balance of power with Iran and the Houthis, but risks fueling a regional missile race and affecting a US-Saudi nuclear deal.

Saudi Arabia appears to be expanding its ballistic missile factory at Al Duwadimi to build larger solid-fuel missiles that could fly farther or carry heavier payloads, according to an analysis by two US researchers from the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Sam Lair and Michael Duitsman assessed commercial satellite images from Planet Labs taken between April 2025 and September 2026, showing a new building with casting pits at least twice as large as the existing one. The expansion could allow Saudi Arabia to produce the solid-fuel DF-15 or the longer-range DF-21 missile, potentially altering the balance of power with Iran and the Houthis. The researchers noted the facility's characteristics resemble Chinese missile plants, and Saudi Arabia is believed to have turned to Beijing due to US restrictions on longer-range missile exports. The expansion risks fueling a regional missile race and could deepen US congressional opposition to a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia. The Saudi embassy and Information Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The facility could be ready to start producing missiles as early as the end of 2026.