Saudi Arabia's Air Defense System: Airspace Command and Control Facilities
Saudi Arabia ranks second in the world in proven oil reserves. Its total proven reserves are estimated at approximately 267 billion barrels, representing approximately 15% of global reserves. Proven gas reserves are approximately 9,5 trillion cubic meters. The Saudi kingdom accounts for approximately 4,3–4,4% of global gas reserves. At current production rates, the Saudis' existing hydrocarbon reserves will last for approximately 150 years.
It's worth noting that, unlike Venezuela, which holds the world's largest oil reserves (approximately 17% of the world's total), and where the majority of the population lacks high incomes, the Saudi royal family manages its oil and gas resources wisely and ensures a high standard of living for the local population. Currently, the country is ruled by the descendants of the first king, Abdul Aziz. Laws in the kingdom are based on Islamic law, and the authority of King Salman bin Abdulaziz of the Saud dynasty is limited only by Sharia law.
Oil sales are the source of the state's wealth and prosperity, accounting for 75% of its revenue. Consistently high budget revenues from oil exports have enabled the country to implement a number of social reforms and create modern infrastructure. The standard of living for the indigenous population is very high, and in addition to developing the energy sector, the country is actively investing in modern, high-tech industries, education, science, and public services.
At the same time, the share of military spending in the Kingdom's budget is very high, reaching 23% of total government expenditure, and consistently ranks among the top five countries in the world with the highest military budgets, behind the United States, China, and Russia. In 2025, approximately $83 billion was allocated for defense needs. As part of the Vision 2030 program, up to 50% of military spending by 2030 should be spent on the procurement and maintenance of domestically produced equipment and weapons, for which purpose active licensing and joint ventures are being established.
The Kingdom's security forces total over 280,000 personnel. More than 220,000 people serve in the armed forces, all of them contract soldiers. Citizens of other countries are also recruited for military service, primarily as instructors and technical specialists. As of 2025, approximately 16,000 people served in the Air Defense Forces.
Taking into account modern threats to the maintenance and development of the Air Force and Defense more than half of all Saudi Arabia's defense spending goes to this, which allows these branches of the armed forces to be equipped with modern radars, anti-aircraft missile systems and fighter jets, and maintain a high level of combat readiness. However, given the country's vast territory and the dispersed nature of strategically important civilian and defense facilities, it is not yet possible to completely protect them from missile and drone strikes.
Saudi Arabia's Air Defense Command System
Saudi Arabia is the 12th largest country in the world by area and the largest in the Middle East, with a total area of 2,149,690 km² (approximately 80% of the Arabian Peninsula). The country has 23 permanent radar stations linked into a single network, which are part of the Peace Shield national air defense system.
Layout of fixed radar posts in Saudi Arabia
The diagram shows that the majority of radars are located on the Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts and along the border with Iraq. Another six permanent radar posts are deployed near major airbases and administrative and industrial centers in the interior of the country. Two permanent posts, located in the south near the city of Sharurah, monitor airspace from the Yemeni side.
Google Earth satellite image: A fixed radar station, covered by a radio-transparent dome, south of the city of Sharura. The image was taken in April 2023.
In the protected area adjacent to the stationary radars, there are also embankments with concrete platforms on which, if necessary, mobile radars can be deployed, designed to detect low-altitude air targets, small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery installations or short-range air defense systems.
Google Earth satellite image of a communications hub near a radar post near the town of Sharur. The image was taken in April 2023.
Radar posts deployed near air traffic control centers and regional air defense command posts are linked to them via underground fiber-optic cables. High-speed satellite terminals and radio relay stations are used to link radars located in remote areas into a single network. VHF/HF radios are used as backup communications.
The central command post is located in central Riyadh. From an underground bunker beneath a reinforced concrete building housing the Air Defense Command's offices and generals' offices, connected to subordinate units via various communication channels, it maintains continuous data exchange with regional air defense command posts and radar posts, provides overall command and control, and coordinates actions with the Air Force.
Google Earth satellite image of the Air Defense Command Center and communications center in central Riyadh. The image was taken in January 2026.
A satellite image shows domes with satellite communications antennas located near the Peace Shield National Air Defense System's Central Command Post. According to unconfirmed reports, the Saudi military, in conjunction with the US Department of Defense, is using AN/GSC-52B SATCOM broadband satellite communications equipment, designed for global troop command and control and the operation of the air defense/missile defense system.
The Link 16 data exchange protocol (TADIL-J) enables the transmission of graphic images, text messages, and two voice channels at 2,4–16 kbps. Using Link 16 equipment, data can be directly received from ground-based radar posts and E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft and transmitted to interceptors and air defense battery command posts.
In addition to the Central Command Post in Riyadh, there are five regional air defense command posts: in Dhahran in the east of the country, at Prince Sultan Air Base in the central part, in Khamis Mushayt in the south, in Taif in the west, and in Tabuk in the northwest.
Google Earth satellite image of the air defense command post and communications center in Tabuk. The image was taken in December 2025.
The central command post in Riyadh exercises overall control over the air defense forces and, based on the processed information, assigns tasks to regional commands, which then issue direct targeting instructions to anti-aircraft missile and artillery batteries.
Saudi Arabia's ground-based air defense radar systems
As is well known, radars are the “eyes” of the air defense system and without modern radars it is impossible to build an effective defense against air attack weapons.
According to Military Balance, the Kingdom has 17 AN/FPS-117 airborne early warning radars; 28 AN/TPS-43G and AN/TPS-59; and 35 AN/TPS-63 and AN/TPS-70. All radar equipment is American-made.
The most modern are the AN/FPS-117 three-axis active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars. These radars can be towed by tractors, but in the Kingdom, they are typically permanently mounted on towers. The antenna post, raised above the ground for better detection of low-altitude targets, is protected from dust and sand by a radio-transparent plastic dome.
The Lockheed Martin AN/FPS-117 radar operates in the 1215–1400 MHz frequency range. Its high-altitude target detection range can reach up to 470 km. These radars are state-of-the-art, highly reliable, regularly upgraded, and widely deployed in the NORAD radar warning network and among US allies. Due to their high energy potential, AN/FPS-117 radars can be used to detect tactical and short-range missiles.
If necessary, the AN/FPS-117 radar can be relocated and operate from the ground.
Towed antenna post radar AN / FPS-117
All station components are mounted on wheeled platforms. However, in practice, such radars typically operate stationary.
Google Earth satellite image of an AN/FPS-117 radar near Al-Qaisumah Airfield. The image was taken in April 2021.
In March 2026, a radar of this type, located in the northeastern part of Al-Qaisumah Airport, was attacked by an Iranian "shaheed".
Judging by the satellite images available online, DroneThe kamikaze hit the radar dome housing the active phased array antenna, completely destroying it. However, the radar hardware survived.
In 1980, Saudi Arabia signed a contract with the United States for the supply of Westinghouse AN/TPS-43 radars. Seven stations were purchased for a total of $82 million.
AN/TPS-43 radar in Saudi Arabia
This radar, operating at frequencies of 2900–3100 MHz, was considered one of the best in its class during the Cold War, leading to widespread use among US allies. Its pulse power is up to 4 MW. The antenna rotation speed is 6 rpm. The instrumented range is up to 450 km.
In the 21st century, the AN/TPS-43 radars were upgraded to the AN/TPS-43G standard, extending their service life and improving operational reliability and jamming resistance. Seven Saudi AN/TPS-43G radars are air-transportable and can be quickly deployed by C-130H military transport aircraft.
Radars manufactured during the height of the Cold War are still on duty near airbases and are considered by the Air Defense Forces Command as a mobile reserve that can be quickly deployed in the event of a worsening situation in one direction or another.
The AN/TPS-59 radar was developed by Lockheed Martin in the early 1980s. Several AN/TPS-59 stations were deployed across the Kingdom in 1991.
Antenna post of the AN/TPS-59 (V)3 radar
The three-dimensional radar, operating in the 1215–1400 MHz frequency range, is mobile; all its components can be transported by C-130H aircraft, and its performance is similar to the AN/FPS-117. The most advanced modification, the AN/TPS-59 (V)3, with an average transmit power of approximately 11 kW, has an instrumented detection range of over 700 km for large, high-altitude targets and is easily integrated with the Patriot and Advanced Hawk air defense systems.
According to reference data, several AN/TPS-63 two-dimensional radars acquired in 1981 are still operational in Saudi Arabia. Before the introduction of the AN/TPS-59 radar, the AN/TPS-63, along with the AN/TPS-43, were the primary American mobile radars, suitable for transport by all modes of transport. However, due to their high degree of wear and tear, the AN/TPS-63 radars are currently stationary and serve as auxiliary standby equipment, primarily used for air traffic control within Saudi Arabia.
Radar AN / TPS-63
The AN/TPS-63 radar was manufactured by Northrup Grumman until 1985. The station transmits in the 1,25–1,35 GHz frequency range. With a pulse power of approximately 150 kW, the instrumented range reaches 370 km. The radar antenna can rotate 6 to 12 times per minute.
In 1986, Westinghouse began production of the AN/TPS-70 phased array three-coordinate radar, which was intended to replace the AN/TPS-43 mobile radars in the military.
Antenna post radar AN / TPS-70
Compared to previous models of mobile radars AN/TPS-43 and AN/TPS-63, thanks to the use of the most advanced technical solutions of the mid-1980s, the AN/TPS-70 managed to significantly improve its characteristics: increased interference immunity, reliability, and automated operation.
The station consists of two main elements suitable for rapid relocation: an antenna post and a hardware container, which also houses workstations for two operators. The antenna post and hardware can be separated by up to 200 meters, reducing the risk of personnel casualties in the event of an incoming anti-radar missile. The radar, operating at frequencies of 2900–3000 MHz, emits pulses of up to 3,5 MW, with an average power of 6,2 kW. The instrumented range is 450 km. The information is updated six times per minute.
In the 21st century, Saudi Arabia's AN/TPS-70 radars were upgraded with modern components and adapted to new communications and combat control systems. The introduction of modern touchscreen monitors and computing systems significantly increased the speed of radar data processing and allowed a single operator to perform combat operations.
Although AN/TPS-70 radars are highly mobile and all station components can be mounted on a cross-country truck chassis, in Saudi Arabia these radars are mostly deployed in fixed positions near airports and airbases. To ensure better visibility, the radars are mounted on metal towers 10–15 meters high or placed on artificial hills.
Google Earth satellite image of an AN/TPS-70 radar near King Abdulaziz International Airport. The image was taken in November 2020.
The satellite image above shows an AN/TPS-70 radar perched on the concrete summit of an artificial hill, the slopes of which are reinforced with slabs. This station monitors the airspace around King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia's busiest air hub, located 19 kilometers north of Jeddah.
The suicide drone attacks launched by Iran and Yemen's Houthis highlighted the shortage of compact radars capable of effectively detecting small, low-flying aerial targets. The American contingent in Saudi Arabia has four AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radars monitoring approaches to several US military installations.
AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar
However, given that the detection range of low-altitude targets does not exceed 70 km, this number of AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radars is absolutely insufficient for full control of at least part of the airspace.
As an alternative to the American AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel radar, the Saudi air defense command is considering the Swedish Giraffe 1X radars manufactured by Saab, which have an instrumented range of 75 km and can be mounted on various mobile chassis with a small load capacity.
Giraffe 1X radar on the RG-32 Scout armored car chassis
However, given recent global events, the demand for air defense systems in general and air target detection radars in particular has sharply increased, and whether the Saudis will be able to quickly acquire compact low-altitude radars remains unknown.
In 2020, Saudi Arabia signed multibillion-dollar contracts for the supply of American air defense and missile defense systems. A separate deal included the delivery of seven AN/TPY-2 radars for use in the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system.
AN/TPY-2 radar antenna post
The Raytheon AN/TPY-2 AESA radar operates in the 8,55–10 GHz band and has an instrumented range of approximately 1000 km. It has vertical scanning angles of -10°–60° and horizontal scanning angles of 80°. Data received from the AN/TPY-2 radar via JTAGS satellite links is transmitted in real time to the THAAD battery command post, higher-level headquarters, and other air defense and missile defense units.
According to information published in open sources, in 2025, the Saudis, along with a battery set of the THAAD missile defense system, put one AN/TPY-2 radar into operation.
Google Earth satellite image of an AN/TPY-2 radar 12 kilometers east of Prince Sultan Air Base. The image was taken in February 2023.
In an image dated February 2023, one AN/TPY-2 radar was detected 12 kilometers east of Prince Sultan Air Base, the main stronghold of US forces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, there is a high probability that this station was operated by the Americans at the time, and there were no THAAD missile defense launchers in the area, although launch sites were being constructed nearby.
In early 2025, another AN/TPY-2 radar was deployed to a site near the oil terminal, 20 km southeast of the King Faisal Naval Base.
Google Earth satellite image of an AN/TPY-2 radar 20 kilometers southeast of King Faisal Naval Base. The image was taken in February 2025.
By January 2026, THAAD launchers were also deployed in the area and a permanent military camp for personnel was built.
Saudi Arabian airborne early warning aircraft
An important component of Saudi Arabia's airspace control capabilities are the Boeing E-3A Sentry airborne early warning aircraft.
The first Saudi Arabian Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft was delivered in June 1986, and the remaining four E-3As were delivered by September 1987. At that time, only Israel and Egypt in the Middle East possessed Grumman E-2C Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, but these aircraft were significantly inferior in capabilities to the E-3A Sentry.
E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft of the Royal Saudi Air Force
With a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 157,300 kg, the E-3A AWACS aircraft can remain airborne for 11 hours without refueling. Its maximum speed is 855 km/h. Its ceiling is 12,000 meters. Its tactical range is 1600 km. Patrols are typically conducted at an altitude of 8000–10,000 meters and a speed of 750 km/h.
The distinctive identifying feature of the AWACS aircraft is a rotating, disk-shaped, radio-transparent plastic radar radome, mounted on two 3,5-meter-high supports above the fuselage. Weighing approximately 1,5 tons, with a diameter of 9,1 meters and a thickness of 1,8 meters, this plastic disc houses, in addition to a passive electronically scanned antenna array, the IFF identification system and communications equipment antennas. The antenna can complete a full rotation in 10 seconds.
The radio and communications equipment, computing system, and display systems consume several times more electricity than the equipment on the standard Boeing 707-320. Therefore, the generator power on the E-3A was increased to 600 kW. The E-3A's data processing subsystem, based on the IBM CC-1 computer, with a processing speed of 740,000 operations per second, enables the stable tracking of up to 100 targets simultaneously. This aircraft also featured a comprehensive system for the covert exchange of tactical information between AWACS aircraft, fighters, and ground control centers. It provided fast and secure communication channels for several thousand users.
In 2012, Boeing was awarded a $66,814 million contract to upgrade communications and radar systems on the Royal Saudi Air Force's E-3A AWACS aircraft.
In addition to increasing the radar's power potential, the modernized AWACS aircraft also featured increased computing power. The digital signal processing units accounted for almost 25% of the radar's weight—over 800 kg. The total weight of the radar equipment was approximately 3,5 tons. The AN/APY-2 radar, thanks to its low back and side lobe antenna pattern, offers high immunity to interference.
A single AWACS aircraft patrolling at an altitude of 9000 meters can monitor an area of approximately 330,000 square kilometers. Three E-3C aircraft can maintain constant radar airspace monitoring over half the country's territory, with the aircraft's radar detection zones overlapping. According to media reports, the detection range of a low-altitude target with an RCS of 1 square meter against the ground in the absence of interference is 400 kilometers. Medium-altitude bombers can be detected at a range of over 500 kilometers, and high-altitude aerial targets flying at significant elevations can be detected at a range of up to 650 kilometers.
The modernization of the AWACS aircraft significantly enhanced their capabilities for monitoring unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles at extremely low altitudes, and ballistic missile launches. Considerable attention is being paid to increasing flight range and patrol duration, which is why in-flight refueling exercises with KC-30 (A330 MRTT) and KE-3A (Boeing KC-707) tankers are regularly practiced.
All Saudi AWACS aircraft have been consolidated into the 18th Airborne Surveillance Squadron, based at Prince Sultan Air Base.
Google Earth satellite image of E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base. The image was taken in August 2004.
However, the airbase is now used more by the US Air Force, and the Royal Air Force's E-3As are much more commonly seen at the northern end of King Khalid International Airport, in an area designated for the Royal Air Force's 1st Squadron, which serves the Royal Family.
Google Earth satellite image of Royal Saudi Air Force E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft near maintenance hangars at the northern end of King Khalid International Airport. The image was taken in May 2022.
This closed part of the airport houses large hangars where repairs and maintenance of the largest aircraft, including the E-3A Sentry, are carried out.
Despite all their advantages, AWACS aircraft are quite expensive to operate, and even a wealthy country like Saudi Arabia uses them sparingly for routine patrols. Furthermore, the service life of the aircraft, built in the mid-1980s, is largely exhausted, and the Air Force command rarely scrambles the AWACS. To replace the aging E-3A Sentry, the Saudis are considering the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft, which are based on the Boeing 737. However, a final decision on this has not yet been made.
As an interim measure, in 2010, the Royal Air Force ordered two Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft, converted from used passenger and transport aircraft. The contract was valued at $670 million, and delivery took place in 2014.
Saudi Arabia has become the second customer for the Saab Erieye radar system, installed on the Saab 2000 regional turboprop aircraft. Pakistan previously received four Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft with the Erieye radar system between 2009 and 2012, and their acquisition for the Pakistani Air Force is believed to have been financed by Riyadh.
The Saudi Arabian Air Force's first Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft is inducted into service.
The Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft is equipped with a compact PS-890 Erieye radar with an antenna unit weighing 900 kg. The dual-sided AESA antenna, housed in a 9-meter-long "log-shaped" fairing, consists of 192 transmit/receive modules. The electronically scanned beam provides a 150-degree field of view on each side. The radar, operating in the 2–4 GHz frequency range, has several operating modes adapted to specific conditions with different pulse repetition rates and scan speeds. The instrumented detection range of large, high-altitude targets is 450 km. An F-16 fighter flying at medium altitude can be detected at a range of 350 km. Objects with a small radar cross-section, at low altitudes, and against the ground are detected at a distance of 180 km.
A drawback of this radar is the presence of blind spots, 30° each, in front and behind the aircraft. Given that the Swedish PS-890 Erieye radar does not provide 360-degree coverage, this imposes certain limitations, and preventing enemy air attack assets from penetrating these blind spots requires the simultaneous deployment of two AWACS aircraft.
The aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 23,000 kg, can reach speeds of up to 680 km/h. Its patrol speed is 300 km/h. Its ceiling is 9400 m. Its payload is 5900 kg. Its flight endurance can last up to nine hours. Its crew consists of seven people.
The Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft are assigned to the 60th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron and are based at Prince Sultan Air Base. However, they appear to be infrequent in their operations. Previously, there were plans to purchase at least eight of these aircraft. However, in 2015, due to Saudi Arabia's intervention in the internal conflict in Yemen, the Swedish government banned the sale of new AWACS aircraft to the Kingdom.
To be continued ...
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