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As the Saudi Arabian military has grown increasingly focused on protecting its borders, it has also begun moving toward deploying unmanned aircraft to help it guard the kingdom’s oilfields.
The country’s Ministry of Interior has been in the process of developing the country’s first unmanned aerial vehicle, the Jeddah Tower, which was launched last year.
Saudi Arabia has a sprawling oil and gas sector, and the kingdom is one of the world’s largest exporters of oil and natural gas.
The kingdom has been building the Jodah Tower as part of a broader plan to protect the country from cyberattacks.
But the towers’ deployment has come with the added risk that the unmanned aircraft could be used for illicit activities, as well as other security risks, according to the Saudi Gazette.
The tower is equipped with an infrared camera, infrared cameras and infrared lasers.
Its main mission is to help the military monitor potential threats and to conduct surveillance of potential terrorists, according the Ministry of the Interior.
The Jedda Tower’s first phase is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2019.
According to Saudi Arabian news outlets, the Tower is expected to have a range of up to 2,000 meters and can carry a total of 50 passengers.
The news agency also reported that the Jaxa Tower is currently being developed as part the countrys national defense strategy.
“The Jaxas are expected to be deployed by 2022, to provide security at the oil fields of Jeddaa and the neighboring fields of Haifa,” the report added.
