Royal Saudi Air Force

    Royal Saudi Air Force
    القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية

    Royal Saudi Air Force emblem
    Founded 1920s–present
    Country Saudi Arabia
    Allegiance Saudi Arabia
    Branch Air Force
    Type Military Aviation
    Role Aerial warfare
    Size 712
    Part of Saudi Arabian Armed Forces
    Nickname RSAF
    Engagements The Tanker War
    Arab Gulf War
    Desert Shield
    Battle of Khafji
    Desert Storm
    Intervention against ISIL
    Shia insurgency in Yemen[1]
    Commanders
    Chief of Air Staff Lt. General Mohammed bin Ahmed Alshaa'lan.
    Notable
    commanders    		 Sultan bin Salman
    Insignia
    Roundel
    Flag

    Falg

    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
    Reconnaissance Northrop RF-5E
    Panavia Tornado IDS
    Trainer Pilatus PC-9A
    BAe Hawk
    Transport Lockheed C-130

    The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: 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 Airfield 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 1990s, 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-1990s 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 17 Squadron with its RF-5E and the Boeing E-3A is the Airborne Early Warning platform operated by 18 Squadron.

    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 Saudi Arabia.

    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:

    Units of the RSAF

    RSAF F-15C Eagle about to refuel from a KC-135 over the Arab Gulf
    RSAF Boeing E-3A Sentry
    RSAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules

    Current aircraft inventory

    On 11 August 2011, The Saudi Royal Air Force received 48 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 $29.4 billion for 84 F-15SA fighters, upgrade of the existing F-15S to the same standard, parts and munitions as well as another 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]

    Aircraft Photo Origin Role Version Quantity Note
    Fighter Aircraft
    F-15E Strike Eagle  United States Strike fighter SA
    S     		2
    67     		67 S variant to be upgraded to SA standard,1 lost in March 2015 during Operation Decisive Storm[9][10]
    Boeing F-15C Eagle  United States Fighter C
    D    		 64
    16     		1 F-15C lost on 2 December 2012.[11]
    Eurofighter Typhoon  United Kingdom Multirole fighter T.2
    T.3A     		48
    0     		72 on order, all will be manufactured by BAE Warton facility, instead of planned final assembly line in Saudi Arabia.[12] A further 72 may be up. [13]
    Panavia Tornado IDS  United Kingdom Ground Attack 80 Being upgraded at a cost of $4.66 billion.
    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 1 2 delivered, S/n 2102 crashed near Dhahran 14 October 1989, killing all 5 on board[14]
    Raytheon King Air 350  United States Special Mission / Electronic Warfare 6 3 on order
    Super Mushshaaq  Pakistan Trainer - 20
    Pilatus PC-9   Switzerland Trainer — 47
    Pilatus PC-21   Switzerland Trainer — 0 55 on order for 2014
    Cirrus SR22  United States Trainer 25 replaced The Reims Cessna F172s
    Transport / Special Mission
    Airbus A340  France Transport A340-213 1 Royal Flight
    Airbus A330 MRTT  France Transport & refuelling MRTT 3[15] 6 on order.[16]
    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
    Airborne Refuelling
    SIGINT/ELINT     		E-3A
    KE-3A
    RE-3A     		5
    5
    3     		E-3A seeking upgrades
    Being upgraded & then replaced by A330 MRRT, 3 converted to RE-3A reconnaissance aircraft.[17]
    CASA CN-235  Spain Transport M-10 4 Royal Flight
    Cessna 550 Citation Bravo  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 IV  United States Transport — 1
    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

    Lockheed Martin KC-130J

    		 0

    0

    		 20 on order.[18]

    5 on order.[18]

    Lockheed L-100  United States Transport L-100-30 6
    McDonnell Douglas MD-11  United States Transport MD-11 1 Royal Flight
    Transport / Attack Helicopters
    Agusta-Bell 212  Italy Transport Helicopter — 27
    Agusta-Sikorsky AS-61  Italy Transport Helicopter A-4 3 Royal Flight
    Bell 205  United States Transport Helicopter — 24
    Bell 212 / Bell 412  United States Transport Helicopter EP 37
    Eurocopter AS532 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 AS332 Super Puma  France Naval Helicopter F 13 Operated by Royal Saudi Naval Aviation.
    Sikorsky S-70  United States Transport helicopter 2
    AH-64 Apache  United States Attack helicopterAH-64A/D/E82
    Unmanned aerial vehicless
    TAI Anka  Turkey UAV Anka-A 4
    Chengdu Pterodactyl I  China UAV 24 [19]

    [20]

    Gallery

    Current and former aircraft of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF)
    An RSAF Eurofighter Typhoon at Malta on delivery 
    An RSAF Tornado F3 during Operation Desert Storm 
    A Boeing F-15S Eagle, the prime 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. 
    A RSAF British Aerospace Hawk in 2011 
    A RSAF F-5 Tiger during the Persian Gulf War 
    C-130 Saudi Air Force

    Commanders

    The following officers have been commanders of the RSAF:

    Lieutenant General Fayyadh H. AL Ruwaili

    See also

    References

    1. ↑
    2. ↑ - Forbes.com
    3. ↑ - BBC.co.uk
    4. ↑ - Reuters.com
    5. ↑ - BBC.co.uk
    6. ↑ Reed, John (18 March 2013). "The Saudi air force wants to protect its newest planes from cyber attack". Retrieved 18 March 2013.
    7. ↑ "Saudis seek upgrade of E-3 AWACS, tankers". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
    8. ↑ "Riyadh requests $25.6bn worth of US helicopters". Retrieved 2010-10-31.
    9. ↑ http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=8693117&&s=TOP
    10. ↑ "Defense.gov Contracts for Tuesday, June 26, 2012". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
    11. ↑ Air Forces Monthly - February 2013 pg32 accessed 18 January 2013
    12. ↑ "UPDATE 1-BAE Systems signs Saudi-Eurofighter deal". Reuters. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
    13. ↑ "2 IRANIAN FIGHTERS REPORTED DOWNED BY SAUDI AIR FORCE". 6 June 1984. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
    14. ↑ "Accident description". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
    15. ↑ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. April 2013. p. 24.
    16. ↑ "Saudi Arabia Buys 3 A330s From France - Defense News". Retrieved 2010-10-31.
    17. ↑ "Boeing 707". Retrieved 2012-05-22.
    18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire: Key Publishing. January 2013. p. 24.
    19. ↑ Saudi Arabia signs deal for China's Pterodactyl drone - WantChinatimes.com, 6 May 2014
    20. ↑ "المصرى اليوم". Retrieved 25 December 2014.
    21. ↑ King Fahd appoints Commander of Air Force - SAMIRAD (Saudi Arabia Market Information Resource). Saudinf.com (2004-04-05). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.

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