| Royal Saudi Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Royal Saudi Air Force Ensign | |
| Founded | 1920s - Present |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Allegiance | Saudi Arabia |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Type | Military Aviation |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 20,000 |
| Part of | Saudi Arabian Armed Forces |
| Nickname(s) | RSAF |
| Engagements |
Gulf War : Desert Shield Battle of Khafji Desert Storm Sa'dah Insurgency[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Air Staff | Lt. General Fayadh Bin Hamed Al Subaie. |
| Notable commanders | Sultan bin Salman |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |
  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack |
Panavia Tornado IDS Eurofighter Typhoon |
| Bomber |
Boeing F-15S Panavia Tornado IDS |
| Electronic warfare |
Boeing RE-3A Boeing E-3A |
| Fighter |
Boeing F-15C/S Eurofighter Typhoon |
| Interceptor |
Boeing F-15C/S Eurofighter Typhoon Panavia Tornado ADV |
| Reconnaissance |
Northrop RF-5E Panavia Tornado IDS |
| Trainer |
Pilatus PC-9A BAe Hawk |
| Transport | Lockheed C-130 |
The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic language: القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية, al-quwwāt al-ğawwiyyah al-malakiyyah as-suʿūdiyyah), is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian armed forces. The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability. The RSAF maintains the third largest fleet of F-15s after the USAF and the JASDF.
The backbone of the RSAF is currently the Boeing F-15 Eagle, with the Panavia Tornado also forming a major component. The Tornado and many other aircraft were delivered under the Al Yamamah contracts with British Aerospace (now BAE Systems). The RSAF ordered various weapons in the 1990s, including Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles, laser-guided bombs and gravity bombs. Al-Salam, a successor to the Al Yamamah agreement will see 72 Eurofighter Typhoons delivered by BAE.
History[]
The RSAF was formed in the mid-1920s with British assistance. It was re-organized in 1950 and began to receive American assistance from 1952 including the use of Dhahran by the United States Air Force.
The Saudi forces are equipped with mainly western hardware. Main suppliers are companies in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Both the UK and the US are involved in training programs conducted in Saudi Arabia.
Derelict RSAF T-28A Trojan, one of four acquired in the 1950s, at King Abdulaziz University
RSAF Roundel on the side of a Lightning Aircraft
During the 1980s and '90s, by Middle Eastern standards the armed forces of Saudi Arabia were relatively small. Its strength however was derived from advanced technology. The backbone of the fighter force is formed by 134 Panavia Tornados from which a batch of 48 Tornado IDS were ordered in 1993 under the al-Yamamah II program and 72 F-15S aircraft delivered from the mid-90s that operate beside the more than 120 F-15C/D aircraft delivered starting in 1981. Aircraft training is executed on the Pilatus PC-9, BAe Hawk, Boeing F-15D Eagle and the Northrop F-5F Tiger II. The C-130 Hercules is the mainstay of the transport fleet and the Hercules is assisted by CASA CN-235s. Reconnaissance is performed by 17sq with its RF-5E and the Boeing E-3A is the Airborne Early Warning platform operated by 18sq.
The VIP support fleet consists of a wide variety of civil registered aircraft such as the Boeing 707, 737 and 747, Lockheed Tri-Stars, MD11s and G1159A as well as Lockheed L-100-30. The HZ- prefix used in the civilian registrations of these aircraft derived from the former name of the territory (Hejaz)
Recent purchases[]
The Al Yamamah contract was controversial because of the alleged bribes associated with its award. Nonetheless, the RSAF announced its intention to purchase the Eurofighter Typhoon from BAE Systems in December 2005. On 18 August 2006 a memorandum of understanding was signed for 72 aircraft in a GB£6-10 billion deal.[2]
Following this order, the investigation of the Al Yamamah contract was suppressed by the British Prime minister Tony Blair in December 2006, citing "strategic interests" of the UK. On the 17 September 2007 Saudi Arabia announced it had signed a £4.4bn deal with BAE Systems for 72 Eurofighter Typhoons.[3]
On 29 December 2011, the United States signed a $29.4 billion Deal to sell 84 F-15s in the SA (Saudi Advanced) configuration. The sale includes upgrades for the older F-15s up to the SA standard and related equipment and services.[4]
On 23 May 2012, British defence firm BAE Systems is to sell 22 BAE Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force for a total of £1.9 billion ($3 billion). The deal also includes simulators, ground and training equipment and spares.[5]
On April 2013, British defence firm BAE Systems delivers the first two new Typhoon Eurofighters of 24 to KSA.
In 2013, the USAF tendered for security services to protect the Saudi air force from Cyberwarfare.[6]
Divisions[]
RSAF BAe Hawk
The RSAF units are divided into Wings that are dispersed across the seven air bases:
- RSAF Wing 1 at King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait
- RSAF Wing 2 at King Fahad Air Base, [Taif
- RSAF Wing 3 at King Abdulaziz Air Base, Dhahran
- RSAF Wing 4 at King Khalid Military City, Hafar Al-Batin
- RSAF Wing 5 at King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait
- RSAF Wing 6 at Prince Sultan Air Base, Al Kharj
- RSAF Wing 7 at King Faisal Air Base, Tabuk
- RSAF Wing 8 at King Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah
- RSAF Wing 11 at King Abdulaziz Air Base, Dhahran
Units of the RSAF[]
RSAF F-15C Eagle about to refuel from a KC-135 over the Persian Gulf
RSAF Boeing E-3A Sentry
RSAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules
- 1 Squadron (Royal Flight/BBJ&HS125)
- 2 Squadron (F-15)
- 3 Squadron (Eurofighter Typhoons)
- 4 Squadron (C-130)
- 5 Squadron (F-15)
- 6 Squadron (F-15)
- 7 Squadron (Tornado IDS)
- 8 Squadron (The Mushshak)
- 9 Squadron (PC-9)
- 10 Squadron (Eurofighter Typhoon)
- 11 Squadron (Royal Flight/G-IV&CE550)
- 12 Squadron (Bell 212)
- 13 Squadron (F-15)
- 14 Squadron (Helicopters)
- 15 Squadron (F-5B possibly transitioning to Eurofighter Typhoons)
- 16 Squadron (C-130)
- 18 Squadron (E-3/KE-3A)
- 19 Squadron (RE-3A)
- 21 Squadron (Hawk)
- 22 Squadron (PC-9)
- 29 Squadron (Tornado ADV to be replaced with Eurofighter Typhoons)
- 32 Squadron (KC-130H)
- 33 Squadron (Royal Medical Flight)
- 34 Squadron (F-15)
- 35 Squadron (Jetstream)
- 44 Squadron (Bell 412)
- 55 Squadron (F-15)
- 75 Squadron (Tornado IDS)
- 79 Squadron (Hawk)
- 83 Squadron (Tornado IDS)
- 88 Squadron (Hawk)
- 92 Squadron (F-15)
- 99 Squadron (Cougar)
Current aircraft inventory[]
RSAF Eurofighter Typhoon
An RSAF Tornado F3 during Operation Desert Storm
RSAF AH-64 Apache
Boeing F-15S Eagle, the strike fighter of the RSAF
Royal Saudi Arabian Air Force pilot adjusts his oxygen mask while in the cockpit of an F-5 Tiger II aircraft prior to flying a training mission.
British Aerospace Hawk in 2011
F-5 Tiger in Gulf War.
On 11 August 2011, The Saudi Royal Air Force received 24 Typhoons from British Royal Air Force (Taif Airbase). On 12 August 2009, UPI reported that Saudi Arabia was seeking upgrades for their E-3 fleet and aerial refuelling tanker aircraft.[7]
In October 2010, an interest for a 60 billion USD defense procurement package from the US was unveiled. It consisted of around 30 billion for 84 F-15SA fighters, upgrade of the existing F-15S to the same standard, parts and munitions as well as other 30 billion for 72 UH-60M, 36 AH-6I, 36 AH-64D, 12 MD530 helicopters and parts. The helicopter request is for the Saudi Arabian Army.[8]
Combat aircraft[]
| Aircraft | Origin | Role | Versions | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter Aircraft | ||||||
| Boeing F-15SA Strike Eagle | United States | Multirole fighter | SA | 0 | 84 on order[9][10] | |
| Boeing F-15C Eagle | United States | Fighter | C D |
65 18 |
1 F-15C lost on 2 December 2012.[11] | |
| Boeing F-15S Strike Eagle | United States | Strike fighter | S | 70 | 68 to be upgraded to SA standard[10][12] | |
| Panavia Tornado IDS |  United Kingdom |
Ground Attack | 87 | Being upgraded at a cost of $4.66 billion. | ||
| Panavia Tornado ADV | United Kingdom |
Fighter | 24 | To be withdrawn from service & shipped to the UK in a buy back package part of the Al Salam deal for 72 Typhoon F2. | ||
| Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter II | United States | Fighter | E F |
83 37 |
Withdrawn from frontline service aside from the training role, some squadrons such as #10 based in Taif will be replaced with the Eurofighter Typhoon. | |
| Eurofighter Typhoon | United Kingdom
|
Multirole fighter | T.2 T.3A |
24 8 |
72 on order, all will be manufactured by BAE Warton facility, instead of planned final assembly line in Saudi Arabia.[13] A further 72 may be ordered. | |
| Unmanned aerial vehicle | ||||||
| Anka |  Turkey |
UAV | Anka-A | 4 | ||
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
| BAe Hawk | United Kingdom |
Advanced Trainer | Mk. 65 Mk. 65A |
29 | 22 Hawk AJT on order, delivery planned in 2016. | |
| BAe Jetstream | United Kingdom |
Trainer | 31 | 2 | ||
| Super Mushshaaq |  Pakistan |
Trainer | - | 20 | ||
| Pilatus PC-9 |  Switzerland |
Trainer | - | 47 | ||
| Pilatus PC-21 | Switzerland |
Trainer | - | 0 | 55 on order for 2014 | |
| Reims Cessna F172 |  France |
Trainer | G H M |
16 | ||
| Transport Aircraft | ||||||
| Airbus A340 | France |
Transport | A340-213 | 1 | Royal Flight | |
| Airbus A330 | France |
Transport & refuelling | MRTT | 3[14] | 6 on order.[15] | |
| BAe 125 | United Kingdom |
Transport | B | 4 | Royal Flight | |
| Boeing 747 | United States | VIP Transport | 747-300 747SP |
2 | Royal Flight, 747-300 from Saudi Arabian Airlines | |
| Boeing 757 | United States | Medical Transport | - | 1 | ||
| Boeing Business Jet | United States | Transport | BBJ1 BBJ2 |
1 1 |
Royal Flight | |
| Boeing E-3 Sentry | United States | AWACS | E-3A | 5 | seeking upgrades | |
| Boeing KE-3A | United States | Airborne Refuelling SIGINT/ELINT |
KE-3A RE-3A |
5 3 |
Being upgraded & then replaced by A330 MRRT, 3 converted to RE-3A reconnaissance aircraft.[16] | |
| CASA CN-235 |  Spain |
Transport | M-10 | 4 | Royal Flight | |
| Cessna 550 Citation | United States | Transport | C550 | 4 | Royal Flight | |
| Gates Learjet 35 | United States | Transport | A | 2 | Both transferred to the Royal Saudi Armed Forces Medical Wing in July 2009 | |
| Gulfstream III | United States | Transport | - | 2 | ||
| Gulfstream V | United States | Medical Transport | - | 2 | ||
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | United States | Transport Airborne Refuelling VIP Transport |
E/H KC-130H VC-130H |
30 7 5 |
||
| Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules | United States | Transport Airborne Refuelling |
C-130J-30 KC-130J |
0 0 |
20 on order.[17] 5 on order.[17] | |
| Lockheed L-100 | United States | Transport | L-100-30 | 6 | ||
| McDonnell Douglas MD-11 | United States | Transport | MD-11 | 1 | Royal Flight | |
| Transport Helicopters | ||||||
| Agusta-Bell 212 |  Italy |
Transport Helicopter | - | 27 | ||
| Agusta-Bell AS-61 | Italy |
Transport Helicopter | A-4 | 3 | Royal Flight | |
| Bell 205 | United States | Transport Helicopter | - | 24 | ||
| Bell 412 | United States | Transport Helicopter | EP | 2 | ||
| Eurocopter AS-532 Cougar | France |
Combat Search and Rescue | M | 12 | ||
| Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin | France |
Naval Helicopter Medical Helicopter |
F N |
24 | The SA-365F variants are operated by Royal Saudi Naval Aviation. | |
| Eurocopter SA-332 Super Puma | France |
Naval Helicopter | F | 13 | Operated by Royal Saudi Naval Aviation. | |
| Kawasaki-Vertol 107 |  Japan |
Transport Helicopter | - | 18 | Operated by the Ministry of the Interior | |
| Total : | 712 | +240 on order | ||||
Commanders[]
The following officers have been commanders of the RSAF:
- 1985-1996, Lieutenant General Ahmed Ibrahim Behery
- Unknown, Lieutenant General Abdul Aziz bin Mohammad Al-Henadi
- 5 April 2004, Prince Lieutenant General Abdulrahman bin Fahd Al-Faisal[18]
- Lieutenant General Mohamed Al Ayesh
Lieutenant General Fayyadh H. AL Ruwaili
See also[]
- Royal Saudi Air Force Museum
- Saudi ranks
References[]
- ↑ [1][dead link]
- ↑ [2] - Forbes.com
- ↑ [3] - BBC.co.uk
- ↑ [4] - Reuters.com
- ↑ [5] - BBC.co.uk
- ↑ Reed, John (18 March 2013). "The Saudi air force wants to protect its newest planes from cyber attack". http://killerapps.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/03/18/the_saudi_air_force_wants_to_protect_its_newest_planes_from_cyber_attack. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ↑ Saudis seek upgrade of E-3 AWACS, tankers
- ↑ "Riyadh requests $25.6bn worth of US helicopters". http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/10/21/348786/riyadh-requests-25.6bn-worth-of-us-helicopters.html. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ↑ Saudi Arabia plans to buy more American weaponry | Defense | RIA Novosti. En.rian.ru. Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=8693117&&s=TOP
- ↑ Air Forces Monthly - February 2013 pg32 accessed 18 January 2013
- ↑ Defence.gov: Contracts for Tuesday, June 26, 2012
- ↑ "UPDATE 1-BAE Systems signs Saudi-Eurofighter deal". 3 April 2012. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/03/baesystems-saudi-idUSL6E8F38YA20120403. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
- ↑ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. April 2013. p. 24.
- ↑ "Saudi Arabia Buys 3 A330s From France - Defense News". http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4206646&c=EUR&s=AIR. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ↑ "Boeing 707". http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/saudis-seek-awacs-upgrades-04405/. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire: Key Publishing. January 2013. p. 24.
- ↑ King Fahd appoints Commander of Air Force - SAMIRAD (Saudi Arabia Market Information Resource). Saudinf.com (2004-04-05). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Saudi Air Force. |
- RSAF official website
- Order of Battle at Scramble
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