Air Force and Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has colossal hydrocarbon reserves, consistently ranking among the exporting countries that determine world oil prices. Proven oil reserves amount to 260 billion barrels (24% of proven oil reserves on Earth).
Oil exports are the source of wealth and prosperity for the state. They form 75% of the country's income. Stably high budget revenues from oil exports have made it possible to carry out a number of social reforms in the country and create a modern infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy governed by the sons and grandsons of the first king Abdel Aziz. Laws in the kingdom are based on Islamic law, the power of King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz al-Saud of the Saudi dynasty is limited only by Sharia law.
Members of the royal family hold key leadership positions in the army and security service. More than 220 people serve in the kingdom's armed forces, all of them contract soldiers. Citizens of other countries are also recruited for military service - mainly instructors and technical specialists.
Saudi Arabia is among the top ten countries in terms of funding for the armed forces; currently, defense spending exceeds 10% of GDP, which is about $50 billion. For comparison, Russia's military spending in 2013 was $69 billion.
Huge financial resources make it possible to purchase in large quantities the most modern weapons of Western-made equipment. As part of the Air Force is about 300 combat aircraft (13 squadrons) and 80 helicopters (part of the combat vehicles are in storage).
The kingdom has a developed airfield network, including 15 military airfields, including five main air force bases (each is headed by a brigadier general reporting directly to the air force commander). The main air bases have a developed airfield infrastructure that meets the highest modern requirements; capital, highly protected concrete shelters have been built for all available combat aircraft.
Air force and Defense Saudi Arabia has the most dynamically developing branches of the armed forces. The country's leadership views them as the main striking and deterrent force and has set an ambitious task for them - to become the strongest in the Middle East.
The Saudi Air Force is based on heavy American-made F-15 Eagle fighters of various modifications. Deliveries of F-15 aircraft began in the early 80s. At that time, the Saudi Arabian Air Force received 84 of these fighters.
Saudi fighter F-15 "Eagle"
In 1996-1998, an additional 72 F-15S aircraft were delivered. This aircraft is a somewhat simplified version of the F-15E strike aircraft; compared to the original version, the Saudi fighters were equipped with radar and systems EW corresponding to the F-15C/D. 48 aircraft were optimized for ground attack, the remaining 24 were intended to be used as interceptors.
In December 2011, an additional batch of 84 F-15SA fighters was ordered for $11,4 billion. In April 2012, a contract was signed to upgrade existing F-15S Strike Eagle aircraft to the F-15SA version for a total of $410,6 million. As a result of this deal, the Saudi kingdom became the second largest operator of the F-15 after the United States.
The Saudi F-15SA is currently the most advanced fighter in the F-15 family. It is equipped with GE F110-GE-129 engines, additional weapons systems, electronic warfare and countermeasure systems, glass cockpits, infrared detection and tracking systems, and active phased array radars.
Another type of modern combat aviation The equipment purchased in Europe was the Typhoon fighter manufactured by the consortium Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems and EADS. The Saudi Air Force has 32 vehicles of this type.
Saudi fighter "Typhoon"
Saudi Arabia has signed a further £4,43bn contract for a further 72 aircraft, which will see the Kingdom build Eurofighters under licence. The Typhoons are to replace the ageing US F-5E/F light fighters currently in storage or used for training.
Saudi Air Force F-5F Tiger II Fighter
The Royal Air Force also operates Panavia Tornado combat aircraft in interceptor versions - Tornado ADV (F3) - 15 pcs and fighter-bomber - Tornado IDS (GR1) - 82 pcs. Deliveries were made from 1989 to 1998 year.
Google Earth Satellite Image: Tornado Airplanes at Tabuk Airfield
Part of the machines due to the development of the resource removed from service and is in storage. Within the framework of the existing modernization program, it is planned to equip the percussion Tornado with more modern electronic means and weapons.
Saudi Arabian Tornado F3 interceptor jet
It is assumed that the next 10-15 years these aircraft will remain in service. The remaining in flight condition Tornado F3 interceptors were returned to the UK as a partial payment for the Typhoon fighters delivered.
The fleet of training aircraft (TC) includes about 100 machines, consolidated into seven squadrons (Hawk Mk 65, PC-9, Cessna 172, Super Mushshak). The available 40 jet trainers "Hawk" Mk 65/Mk 65A can be used as light attack aircraft.
Saudi TCB “Hawk”
Pilots of the Saudi Hawks aerobatic team fly on the Hawks; they are based at King Faisal Air Force Base (Tabuk).
The presence of E-3A AWACS AWACS aircraft in the Saudi Arabian Air Force brings them to a higher quality level. The first Saudi E-3 was delivered in June 1986, and the remaining four E-3s were delivered by September 1987.
Saudi E-3A AWACS
No country in the region has such class of AWACS aircraft in its air force. Until 2002, the Israeli Air Force had E-2C Hawkeye "flying radars" which were significantly inferior to AWACS aircraft in their capabilities. Another potential enemy of the Saudis, Shiite Iran, formally owns two AWACS aircraft based on the Il-76, but their functionality is questionable.
Satellite image of Google Earth: DRLO E-3А АWACS aircraft at Prince Sultan air base
In 2012, Boeing received a $66,814 million contract to upgrade communications equipment and install new radar systems on the Royal Saudi Air Force's E-3 AWACS aircraft.
The core of the military transport aviation is more than 40 US military-technical cooperation C-130 Hercules of various modifications, including KN-7H 130 tankers.
C-130 Air Force Saudi Arabia (Royal Air Wing)
In 2012, Saudi Arabia additionally purchased 20 HC-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft and 5 KC-130J tanker aircraft from the United States for $6,7 billion. It also has two dozen more transport aircraft: CN-235, Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, MD-11, Jetstream 31. Six Boeing KE-6A provide in-flight refueling of combat aircraft. The Air Force includes a royal air wing - 3 aircraft (Cessna 16 and Boeing 310 SP, CN-747M, Boeing 235-737, BAe 200-125, VC-800H).
The helicopter aviation consists of 78 units (AN-64A, Bell 406 CS, AB-212, AB-206, SH-3). The USA has ordered 70 attack helicopters of the latest modification AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III, 72 transport helicopters UH-60M Black Hawk, 36 light reconnaissance AH-6i Little Bird and 12 training helicopters MD-530F.
The Air Defense Forces are an independent branch of the Kingdom's armed forces. They consist of anti-aircraft missile troops, anti-aircraft artillery and RTV units. The Air Defense Forces have operational control over interceptor fighters from the Air Force. The Air Defense Forces are organized into six Air Defense Districts. These troops are tasked with covering important administrative, economic, and military facilities: the capital, oil production areas, troop groups, air force and missile bases. Saudi Arabia's air defense system is the basis of the Peace Shield air defense system. Its creation was largely completed in 1995.
Google Earth satellite image: the location of radars (blue diamonds) and air defense systems (colored triangles) in Saudi Arabia.
“Peace Shield” includes the X / NUMX early warning radar AN / FPS-17, three D-radar systems coupled to the AN / PPS-117 radar and AN / TPS-43 near and medium radius.
Satellite image of Google Earth: airfields based on air defense interceptors (red) and DRLO airplanes (blue)
The air force bases have operational centres that are integrated with AWACS aircraft, fighter aircraft, SAM batteries and anti-aircraft artillery. Saudi Arabia's air defences are integrated using the Peace Shield command, control, intelligence and communications system.
In total, the 144 air defense missile system Patriot 128, the Advanced Hawk air defense missile system MIM-23B, the Advanced Hawk 141, the Sahin air defense missile system Xtalin, and the 40 anti-aircraft guns and the 270 128 SPU air defense systems and 35 anti-aircraft guns and settings, and the XnUMX 50 SPU Krotal, as well as the 30 anti-aircraft guns and settings, and the XnUMX 30 SPU Krotal, as well as the 92 anti-aircraft guns and settings, and the XnUMX 20 SPU Krotal, as well as the 163 anti-aircraft guns and settings, and the 10N systems, and the 70 SPU XtalM and 40 anti-aircraft guns and the 70 SPU XtalM and XNUMX anti-aircraft guns, and the XNUMX SPU XtalM and XNUMX anti-aircraft guns and settings, etc. "Oerlikon", XNUMX XNUMX-mm ZSU AMX-XNUMXSA, XNUMX XNUMX-mm ZSU MXNUMX "Volcano". In addition, XNUMX XNUMX-mm L-XNUMX anti-aircraft guns are in stock.
Samar short-range "Shahin"
The American MIM-104 PAC-2 Patriot SAMs are the most modern anti-aircraft systems in Saudi Arabia. SAMs of this type were deployed in the country during Desert Storm to protect the American contingent. Since 1993, 21 batteries have been delivered to the Kingdom's armed forces. Negotiations are currently underway with the United States on the delivery of the PAC-3 Patriot SAM.
PU ZRK "Patriot"
Currently, 11 batteries are deployed and are on combat duty on a permanent basis. Positions for the deployment of air defense systems have been prepared in different areas of the country, some of which have high-strength concrete shelters for technical equipment and bunkers for personnel.
Google Earth satellite image: equipped Patriot SAM positions with high-strength concrete shelters in Dhahran
Most of the Patriot batteries are located along the northeast coast, protecting production areas and ports through which oil is exported.
Satellite image Google Earth: deployed SAM "Patriot" in Riyadh
Since the late 60s, Saudi Arabia has been receiving the MIM-23 Hawk SAM system, later followed by the upgraded version, the Advanced Hawk. There are currently 18 batteries deployed. They are mostly deployed in the same areas as the Patriot SAM system.
Modern Air Force and Air Defense guarantee a high degree of reliability of protection of key religious, industrial, oil-producing and defense centers. The strike capabilities of the Saudi Air Force in the Middle East region are currently second only to the Israeli Air Force. Taking into account the upcoming deliveries of modern aircraft from the USA and Europe, this gap, if not equalized, will be reduced to a minimum. The Israelis will only have to hope for the higher quality training of their pilots.
Saudi Arabia makes no secret of its ambitions to become a regional superpower and leader of the Islamic world. Riyadh has been pursuing a consistent policy of eliminating potential competitors such as Syria, Iraq and Iran. Given the growing regional instability, the Saudi ruling dynasty has spared no expense in building the most powerful army in the region. Over the past 20 years, the number of Saudi armed forces has more than doubled, and they are equipped with the most modern weapons. Recently, the kingdom has been actively conducting research in the field of nuclear energy. In February 2014, news that Saudi Arabia intends to become a nuclear power. This is quite alarming information, considering that the official religion in Saudi Arabia is Wahhabi Islam.
Based on:
http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=Saudi-Arabia
http://www.scramble.nl/sa.htm
http://geimint.blogspot.ru/2007/07/fire-from-space.html
Satellite images courtesy of Google Earth.
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