Saudi Arabia inaugurates Iraq border security system
A project to secure Saudi Arabia’s northern border with Iraq has culminated in the inauguration of a border security system supplied by an Airbus Defence and Space (D&S)-led team.
The Northern Border Security (NBS) Project is the first part of the Saudi Border Guard Development Programme which aims to secure the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s borders with advanced border surveillance security systems.
The NBS is a fully-integrated technological security-solution encompassing 900kms of the border with Iraq. It consists of one sand berm, three fences, seven Command & Control (C2) Centres, 32 Response Stations, 240 Response Vehicles and ten Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicles.
Security is enforced through 40 surveillance towers, equipped with Airbus DS TRGS-SEC radars and day/night cameras, and 38 communication towers, all of which are connected to the C2 centres, the National HQ and the Ministry of Interior over 1.45 million km of fibre-optic cables. These assets, combined, provide advanced operational awareness and means to mitigate and monitor threats of all natures.
Dietmar Pilz, project director, said: ‘I am proud to be responsible of this final stage of the project and to see all our years of hard work and technical know-how finally culminating in this inauguration of our state-of-the art border security system. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved throughout the project.’
A ceremony to inaugurate the system earlier in September was attended by the Minister of Interior Prince Mohammed bin Naif, members of the royal family, various delegates, and also King Hamad ibn Isa al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Ukraine and NATO look to industry to boost capability plans]()
Ukraine and NATO look to industry to boost capability plans
The Ukraine-Russia war has highlighted the force-multiplying capability of innovation and adaptation of industry and individual companies. NATO is attempting to introduce this flexibility while Ukraine is accelerating these efforts and looking for industrial support.
-
![DVD2026: Connected for Combat]()
DVD2026: Connected for Combat
As the land equipment sector prepares for the premier biennial event at UTAC Millbrook on 16 and 17 September 2026, the narrative for this year’s exhibition has officially been set: Connected for Combat - Aligning People, Systems and Decisions.
-
![Artillery lessons from the war in Ukraine spotlight future capability priorities]()
Artillery lessons from the war in Ukraine spotlight future capability priorities
The war in Ukraine has shown that artillery is still a vital tool in modern war. However, on a rapidly changing battlefield, there are a number of lessons from Ukraine about how artillery can be used in modern conflict.
-
![Drone Summit turns spotlight on smaller companies and new uncrewed systems]()
Drone Summit turns spotlight on smaller companies and new uncrewed systems
The Drone Summit saw more than 100 companies from 20 countries, including Latvia, Australia, Canada and Israel, presenting uncrewed surveillance and attack platforms. The event came just weeks after drones, believed to be Russian, invaded Latvia’s airspace.
-
![May land forces roundup: counter-drone systems move up the agenda]()
May land forces roundup: counter-drone systems move up the agenda
There has been a drive towards uncrewed aerial systems and defeating them in recent weeks, with NATO exercises addressing the danger, new systems unveiled and a new Latvian counter-drone unit stood up following recent incursions.
