WDS 2026: SAMI unveils Heet vehicles

The Heet 8×8 on the SAMI stand at WDS. (Janes/Vishal Sengupta)

Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) unveiled two futuristic-looking armoured vehicles during the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026 held in Riyadh from 8 to 12 February but released few details.

The company described both the Heet 4×4 and larger Heet 8×8 as reliable and cost-effective platforms with scalable armour, integrated command-and-control systems, and optional manned and unmanned weapon systems. It did not provide any weight figures or say how many dismounts they can carry.

The Heet 8×8 was displayed with what was identified as a turret with a 105 mm direct-fire gun, although the weapon was clearly a mock-up. The Heet 4×4 was fitted with the Roaya turret armed with a 12.7 mm machine gun that was displayed at the previous WDS in February 2024.

Both Heets had a similar layout where the driver and commander sit side-by-side behind the engine compartment with wide but narrow windows giving them a good view across the vehicle's frontal arc. This makes the Heet 8×8 look superficially like the Pars Alpha 8×8 made by the Turkish company FNSS.

The Ubayyah armoured 4×4 that SAMI unveiled at WDS 2024 was also displayed at this year's show but this time fitted with the launcher from the Thales RapidRanger, a short-range air-defence system in service with Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces as the Shikra, albeit on a Spanish VAMTAC tactical vehicle.

The 152 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer that SAMI unveiled at WDS 2024 without providing details was not shown this year.

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