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Royal Saudi Air Force | Aircraft Inventory | The Royal Saudi Air Force (القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية, al-quwwāt al-ğawwiyyah al-malakiyyah as-suʿūdiyyah, operates the third largest fleet of F-15s after the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (RSAF) and the USAF.
The Boeing F-15 Eagle is their backbone combat aircraft, with the Panavia Tornado playing a major role. The Tornado and many other equipment were delivered under the Al Yamamah contracts with British Aerospace (now BAE Systems). Al-Salam, a successor to the Al Yamamah program executed the delivery of 72 Eurofighter Typhoons by BAE.
The Royal Saudi Air Force core competency is derived from advanced technology and not from numerical advantage, this is motive behind their drive for on-going modernization. Aircraft training is conducted on the Pilatus PC-9, BAe Hawk, Boeing F-15D Eagle and the Northrop F-5F Tiger II.. The Lockheed C-130 is basis of the transport fleet, complemented by CASA CN-235s. Reconnaissance is performed by the RF-5E and the Boeing E-3A
The VIP and Royal support fleet consist of a wide variety of civil registered aircraft mainly the Boeing B707 (now phased out), B737 and B747, Lockheed Tri-Stars (now phased out), MD11s, G1159A and Lockheed L-100-30. The HZ- prefix used in the civilian registrations of these aircraft derived from the historical name (HejaZ)
According to Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - The Gulf States (dated: Jul 08, 2011) the Royal Saudi Air Force:
Intends to modernise its tactical transport fleet over the next decade and is seeking to acquire up to 10 more tanker aircraft to augment the KC-130Hs and KE-3As that is presently fulfill this role; it has made a start with the purchase of six Airbus A330 Multirole Tanker Transports in two separate batches.
Commander of the Air Force: Lt. General Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Ayish
Air Force Personnel Strength: 20,000
Inventory Summary:
- Combat: approx. 330 (total), 261 (in service)
- Transport: 57 (total), 57 (in service)
- Helicopters: 234 (total), 234 (in service)
Official website Royal Saudi Air Force
|
Combat Capable |
|
|
|
|
Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle |
Fighter |
SA |
None |
On order. Although the exact variant is 84, the RSAF is reported to be interested in the Silent Eagle. |
Boeing F-15 Eagle |
Fighter |
C
D
|
80
25
|
|
Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle |
Strike fighter |
S |
72 |
|
Panavia Tornado IDS |
Ground Attack |
87 |
Being upgraded at a cost of $4.66 billion. |
Panavia Tornado ADV |
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 |
Fighter |
E
F
|
83
37
|
Being phased out while the operational utilized for advance training. To be replaced with the Eurofighter Typhoon. |
Eurofighter Typhoon |
Fighter |
T.2
T.3A
|
24
48
|
A further 72 may be ordered, 48 will be assembled in Saudi Arabia |
Trainer Aircraft |
|
|
|
|
BAe Hawk |
Advanced Trainer |
Mk. 65
Mk. 65A
|
30
20
|
|
BAe Jetstream |
Trainer |
31 |
2 |
|
Super Mushshaaq |
Trainer |
- |
20 |
|
Pilatus PC-9 |
Trainer |
- |
50 |
|
Reims Cessna F172 |
Trainer |
G M |
16 |
|
Transportation |
|
|
|
|
Airbus A340 |
Transport |
A340-213 |
1 |
Royal Flight and operated by the RJAF |
Airbus A330 |
Transport & refuelling |
MRTT |
6 |
On order. |
BAe 125 |
Transport |
B |
4 |
Royal Flight and operated by the RJAF |
Boeing 747 |
VIP Transport |
747-300
747SP
|
2 |
Royal Flight and operated by the RJAF |
Boeing 757 |
Medical Transport |
- |
1 |
|
Boeing Business Jet |
Transport |
BBJ1 |
1 |
Utilized by the Royal Flight and operated by the RJAF |
|
|
BBJ2 |
1 |
|
Boeing E-3 Sentry |
AWACS |
|
5 |
Seeking upgrades |
Boeing KE-3A |
Airborne Refuelling |
A |
8 |
Being upgraded & then replaced by A330 MRRT |
CASA CN-235 |
Transport |
M-10 |
4 |
Utilized by the Royal Flight |
Cessna 550 Citation |
Transport |
C550 |
4 |
Utilized by the Royal Flight |
Gates Learjet 35 |
Transport |
A |
2 |
Both transferred to the Royal Saudi Armed Forces Medical Wing in July 2009 |
Gulfstream III |
Transport |
- |
2 |
|
Gulfstream V |
Medical Transport |
- |
2 |
|
Lockheed C-130 Hercules |
Transport
Airborne Refuelling
VIP Transport
|
E/H
KC-130H
VC-130H
|
30
7
5
|
|
Lockheed L-100 |
Transport |
L-100-30 |
6 |
|
McDonnell Douglas
MD-11 |
Transport |
MD-11 |
1 |
Utilized by the Royal Flight and operated by the RJAF |
Transport Helicopters |
|
|
|
|
Agusta-Bell 212 |
Transport Helicopter |
- |
27 |
|
Agusta-Bell AS-61 |
Transport Helicopter |
A-4 |
3 |
Utilized by the Royal Flight |
Bell 205 |
Transport Helicopter |
- |
24 |
|
Bell 412 |
Transport Helicopter |
EP |
2 |
|
Eurocopter AS-532 Cougar |
Combat Search and Rescue |
M |
12 |
|
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin |
Naval Helicopter
Medical Helicopter
|
F
N
|
24 |
The SA-365F variants are operated by Royal Saudi Naval Aviation. |
Eurocopter SA-332 Super Puma |
Naval Helicopter |
F |
13 |
Operated by Royal Saudi Naval Aviation. |
Kawasaki-Vertol 107 |
Transport Helicopter |
- |
18 |
Operated by the Ministry of the Interior |
|
|
|
|
Information sources: please see
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