The Royal Saudi Air Force 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 American and Japanese air forces.
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.
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.
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 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).
The Al Yamamah contract was controversial because of the alleged bribes associated with its award. Nonetheless, the RSAF announced its intention to purchase the Typhoon from BAE Systems in December 2005. On 18th August 2006 a memorandum of understanding was signed for 72 aircraft in a GB£6–10 billion deal.
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 17th September 2007 Saudi Arabia announced it had signed a £4.4bn deal with BAE Systems for 72 Typhoons.
On 29th 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.
On 23rd May 2012, the British defence firm BAE Systems agreed 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 included simulators, ground and training equipment and spares. In April 2013, BAE Systems delivered the first two new Typhoons of 24 to Saudi Arabia.
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
1 Squadron (Royal Flight/BBJ&HS125)
2 Squadron (F-15C And F-15D)
3 Squadron (Eurofighter Typhoon)
4 Squadron (C-130)
5 Squadron (F-15C And F-15D)
6 Squadron (F-15S)
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-15C And F-15D)
14 Squadron (Helicopters)
15 Squadron (OUT SERVICE)
16 Squadron (C-130)
18 Squadron (E-3/KE-3A)
19 Squadron (RE-3A)
21 Squadron (BAE Hawk)
22 Squadron (PC-9)
24 Squadron (A330 MRTT)
25 Squadron (Bell 412)
29 Squadron (Tornado ADV to be replaced with the F-15SA)
30 Squadron (Helicopters)
32 Squadron (KC-130H And KC-130J)
33 Squadron (Royal Medical Flight)
34 Squadron (F-15C And F-15D)
35 Squadron (Jetstream)
37 Squadron (BAE HAWK)
42 Squadron (F-15C AND F-15D)
44 Squadron (Bell 412)
55 Squadron (F-15S)
66 Squadron (Tornado IDS)
75 Squadron (Tornado IDS)
79 Squadron (BAE Hawk)
80 Squadron (Eurofighter Typhoon)
83 Squadron (Tornado IDS)
88 Squadron (Hawk)
92 Squadron (F-15S)
99 Squadron (Cougar)
Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale HA4511 McDonnell Douglas F-15S S/N 93-0872, 6th Sqn./5th Wing, Khamis Mushait AB, Royal Saudi Air Force March 2008
Hobbymaster have just announced one of two models that will be available in very few numbers. One of these is the model below. If you want one I would order straight away as this will sell out as Hobbymaster have not made enough, only 300 models worldwide ! I have sold some already even as I write this Newsletter so please be quick and “sorry” in advance to any customer that I cannot supply.
Hobbymaster 1/72nd scale HA2715 Japan F-2A “Air Combat Meet 2013” 13-8557, 3rd SQ, 3rd AW, JASDF, Misawa AB
This is the other model which is only being made in small numbers ( 450 pieces worldwide) and I will definitely not be able to supply all who want one as most of the production has already been taken overseas. Again if you want one please be quick.
Hobbymaster Arrivals Next week.
The following models are arriving at Flying Tigers next week. Most of these models have been heavily pre-ordered as usual so only a few models will be available to sell from stock. If you haven’t ordered any of these below yet, and you want one, “get your skates on”.
Hobbymaster and JC Wings Updated Photo Galleries
Here are the latest models with updated photos from Hobbymaster and JC Wings. Please click on the model of your choice to go straight to the model page and the photos.
Corgi Aviation Archive, InFlight 200 and Aviation 72 new model arrivals at Flying Tigers this week.
The following models are now in stock at Flying Tigers. Please click on the photos below or CLICK HERE to see them all.
New Range added to Flying Tigers.
I have added a brand new range to Flying Tigers this week… Panzerkampf. I have listed just a few of the models below for you to have a look at.Please click on the photos below to go straight to the model of your choice. The complete range can be seen if you CLICK HERE.
Flying Tigers Autumn Sale !
Finally, I have added lots and lots of models into Flying Tigers Autumn Sale. These are the FINAL REDUCTIONS on these models. Please visit the Autumn Sale by CLICKING HERE to see all the models in this sale which can be found in the “Offers of the Week “ section.
Sale ends at 12.00 a.m. Friday 22nd September 2017.
Well that’s all for this week.
Thank you for taking time out to read this week’s newsletter.
Richard
Flying Tigers.