Saudi Armed Forces

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[Test7]

Saudi Arabia calls for increased GCC defence industry collaboration


The leader of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Ahmad Al Ohali, has issued a call for improved collaboration in the defence industry within the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states.

In a keynote address delivered at the Global Aerospace Summit on 28 September, Al Ohali recognised the long-standing relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and “the partnership, collaboration, and continuous communication on a range of important fronts.”

The leader of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Ahmad Al Ohali, has called for increased defence industrial collaboration in the region. (GAMI)

“We [GAMI] emphasise our focus on uniting our efforts and strengthening collaboration between the GCC countries across the defence sector through research and development, training, and sharing of best practices, all with the aim of developing a foundation for the defence sector and stimulating growth in the private sector to increase investments in this industry.”

Commenting on the shared strategic and security drivers of the region that can drive regional integration, Ohali added that the Arab countries in the region “have tremendous capabilities and ideal land for the development of a sustainable military industrial sector.”

“We hold strong ties with countries that possess robust abilities and defence technologies that enable us to work together to achieve mutual objectives and joint ambitions. This includes the transfer of military capabilities, localisation, and the development of military foundations in the Arab Gulf that are agile and sustainable, and can meet the demands and constant developments across this promising sector.”

Saudi Arabia calls for increased GCC defence industry collaboration

The leader of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Ahmad Al Ohali, has issued a call for improved collaboration in the defence industry...

www.janes.com

 

[Test7]

Boeing secures $9.8 billion contract for Saudi F-15 work​

Boeing has secured a contract worth up to $9.8 billion related to modernisation and support work for Saudi Arabia’s F-15 fleet.

The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract is expected to be completed by 2025, according to the US Department of Defense contracts web site. The work will be performed by Boeing in St Louis, Missouri.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15C in 2016


“This contract provides for modernisation and sustainment of the F-15 Saudi fleet to include such efforts as hardware, software, and interface design, development, integration, test, subsystem and structural component production and installation of future modifications and enhancements to the F-15 Saudi weapon system as well as product support,” says the contract notification.

The statement does not specify the variant of F-15 involved, although the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) basically operates three types of F-15.

Cirium fleets data shows that Riyadh has 228 examples in service. Of these, 80 are F-15C/Ds with an average age of 37.8 years. That total includes 59 C-model aircraft used in the air defence role, plus 21 F-15D trainers.

The RSAF also has 66 F-15S aircraft, a variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle, which have an average age of 22.4 years. In 2012, Boeing was awarded a $1.84 billion FMS contract to develop kits to upgrade 68 examples to a new F-15SA standard.

Finally, Saudi Arabia’s most modern F-15s are 88 new-build F-15SAs, with an average age of just 5.1 years.

In addition to fly-by wire controls, the F-15SA has a digital electronic warfare suite, an infrared search and track system and a Raytheon APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array radar. The aircraft’s forward and aft cockpits feature advanced displays and joint helmet-mounted cueing systems. The new F-15 variant also has two additional wing weapons stations to boost its payload.

Boeing secures $9.8 billion contract for Saudi F-15 work

Boeing has secured a contract worth up to $9.8 billion related to modernisation and support work for Saudi Arabia's F-15 fleet.

www.flightglobal.com

 

[Test7]

The Navantia shipyard in San Fernando launches this Saturday the second of the five corvettes that it builds for the Saudi Arabian Navy. With the name "Al Diriyah", this warship is part of the largest military export contract in the history of Spain: 1.8 billion euros for the accounts of the public shipyard Navantia.

The program for the Saudi corvettes, whose last ship should be delivered in 2024, includes, in addition to construction, life cycle support for five years, from the delivery of the first ship, with the option of another five additional years.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE «AL-JUBAIL» CLASS

Length: 104 meters.
Beam: 14 m.
Crew: 102 sailors.
Maximum speed: 27 knots.

It has the capacity to carry supplies for 21 days on board. Catiz Combat System, Hermesys Integrated Communications System, Dorna Fire Direction, Integrated Platform Control System and Minerva Integrated Bridge, along with other equipment developed by Navantia under license, such as MTU engines or gearboxes by Renk.

 

[Test7]

Saudi F-15SA delivery imminent

Heads up RAF Lakenheath! Another four Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Boeing F-15SA Saudi Advanced fighters are expected to cross the Atlantic Ocean on the way to Saudi Arabia. The aircraft will depart St. Louis Lambert International Airport (MO) with a night stop at RAF Lakenheath (UK). The exact date is not known yet and depends on weather conditions as well.

The following six aircraft have not been delivered yet: 12-1001, 12-1002, 12-1003, 12-1009, 12-1048 and 12-1083.

Of these six, serial 12-1009 was seen with external tanks for a so called fuel carriage test flight last week at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (MO). The first three aircraft (12-1001, 12-1002 and 12-1003) are known to have been extensively involved in the test and certification programme at Palmdale (CA), and, as such, one or two may stay in the United States for further testing. If this is correct, this upcoming delivery flight could be the last four that are to be delivered.

Interestingly, the previous four F-15SA that staged through RAF Lakenheath on 11 August 2020, serials 12-1033, 12-1034, 12-1035 and 12-1084 (call sign Retro71/74) have joined the Fighter Weapons School (FWS) at Dhahran Air Base. Although they have been allocated serials 9241, 9242, 9243 and 9244 it is not sure if these serials are applied. For the FWS they carry the codes WS01, WS02, WS03 and WS04.

Unfortunately we are not aware yet of the allocation of the serial tie-ups, but these could be sequential. The four that are due this week are also destined to join the FWS at Dhahran Air Base.

If you have more information on this, please send updates and even better - images - to [email protected]

Photo: Alex Farwell

Saudi F-15SA delivery imminent

Saudi F-15SA delivery imminent Heads up RAF Lakenheath! Another four Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Boeing F-15SA Saudi Advanced fighters are expected to cross the Atlantic Ocean on...

www.scramble.nl

 

[Test7]

The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) conducted their First flight in country and first flight solely by RSNF with an MH-60R

 

[Test7]

USAF F-15Es are getting recycled wings from Saudi F-15S​

With hundreds of flight hours on the books, F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex needed newer wings to keep the birds flying through 2040.

Production lead time for new wings from the original equipment manufacturer was about five years and five times the cost of a refurbished F-15SA wing.

The 409th Supply Chain Management Squadron, along with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s F-15 Program Office and F-15SA Conversion, Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Program Office at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, worked together for the U.S. Air Force to acquire the Saudi air force’s refurbished F-15SA wings instead.


Joe Hudson, F-15 Structures section chief in the 409th SCMS, who is a member of the F-15 Saudi Wings Team that was charged with procuring wings for the jets, said the deal saved the U.S. Air Force $80 million on eight sets of wings in Fiscal Year 2020, with a potential savings of $250 million with future buys.

“In June 2018, the 409th SCMS partnered with the F-15 System Program Office, the F-15 Foreign Military Saudi case manager, and Worldwide Redistribution Service representatives to determine the feasibility of purchasing Royal Saudi air force F-15SA wings that were removed during a fleet retrofit and scheduled for destruction,” he said.

After completing a business case analysis of several wing procurement initiatives, Hudson said the decision was made to buy the F-15SA wings.

Lt. Col. Matthew Pope, deputy security assistance program manager for AFLCMC’s F-15SA Conversion, Fighters and Advanced Aircraft, said during the conversion process, the F-15S wings are removed and would otherwise be scrapped or demilitarized, but his team worked out an alternative arrangement that benefitted all involved.

“My team was in a unique position to help facilitate the F-15 wings purchase initiative through arrangement for temporary storage after the wing removals at the conversion line in Saudi Arabia and to coordinate documentation approvals with the partner nation,” he said.

Pope’s office, along with the F-15SA Sustainment Team, coordinated with the RSAF director of Programs, to staff and obtain final signatures on the memorandum of understanding for purchase of the initial eight sets of wings, with the possibility to buy up to 42 more sets.

After obtaining the proper approvals, Pope said the F-15SA Conversion Team coordinated with an aerospace organization out of Saudi Arabia for packaging, inspection, and shipping of the initial eight sets of wings that were delivered to Robins in August 2020.

“Recognizing that the Royal Saudi air force F-15S to SA conversion includes removal and disposal of wings, the U.S. Air Force F-15 office determined that the potential of obtaining several sets of Royal Saudi air force wings in “A-Condition” from F-15SA conversion might offer a massive schedule and cost savings for the aging F-15 fleet,” he said.

With this in mind, the footwork for the deal kicked off in February 2019 leading to the huge success, Pope said.

“This wings buy gives the U.S. Air Force the option to install these wings at a significant time and cost savings, while U.S. Air Force legacy wings are waiting for parts or in the event they are found to be non-reparable,” he said.

Pope said the wings buy resulted in substantial savings to the U.S. Air Force, driving a five-year schedule reduction.

Additionally, the deal sets the stage for the possibility of hundreds of millions in future savings across the Future Years Defense Program, Pope said.

From a strategic perspective, Pope said the effort provided the Saudi Arabian government millions in needed revenue during the COVID-related oil collapse, while ensuring that the U.S. Air Force maintains the F-15 force it needs, at a significant cost and schedule savings.

“Saudi Arabia is a key strategic partner, and creative, mutually-beneficial endeavors such as the wings buy serve to grow the partnership even stronger,” he said.

Eric Wietstruk, F-15 Product Support manager in the AFLCMC’s F-15 Program Office at Robins, said the F-15SA wings provide a viable and cost effective option for replacing some of the F-15E wings that are beyond economical repair.

“The purchase of the F-15SA wings will open up opportunities to procure other aircraft parts resulting from the F-15 Saudi Aircraft Conversion Program that will benefit the warfighter at a reduced cost,” he said.

As the F-15 product support manager, Wietstruk is responsible for ensuring the F-15 fleet can be maintained and sustained for years to come.

Securing the F-15SA wings is another key example of how the United States and its foreign military sales country partners have mutually benefited from a long-term strategic alliance, Wietstruk said.

“We continue to work with our FMS partners to support and sustain our mutual F-15 legacy and new aircraft fleets, he said.

Hudson said the team successfully synchronized four agencies to complete a “first of its kind” acquisition of F-15SA wings from the Royal Saudi air force.

“Our Integrated Product Team successfully completed acquisition agreements between U.S. Air Force and FMS partners, developed innovative solutions to overcome storage and shipment impacts during the global pandemic, and met our customers’ requirements ahead of need dates,” he said.

The F-15SA wings are scheduled to be installed on aircraft during programmed depot maintenance in 2021.

409th SCMS works with F-15 SPO, AFLCMC to secure RSAF wings for F-15, saving millions

The 409th Supply Chain Management Squadron, along with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s F-15 Program Office and F-15SA Conversion, Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Program Office at Robins

www.robins.af.mil

 

[Test7]

AFLCMC delivers final F-15SA to Royal Saudi Air Force​

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- The final F-15SA advanced fighter aircraft were delivered Dec. 10 to the Royal Saudi Air Force – a key milestone supporting the National Defense Strategy imperative to strengthen alliances and attract new partners.

As the organization responsible for delivering new capabilities to the warfighter, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center manages nearly all Foreign Military Sales cases for the Air Force. These cases enhance the defense capabilities of, and improve interoperability with, international partners to strengthen future coalition operations and act as a force multiplier for the Air Force.

The production ferry flight marks the final deliveries of the Boeing-produced aircraft included in the terms of a $29 billion foreign military sales agreement reached in 2010.

The F-15SA is an advanced version of the F-15S currently operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force.

“The F-15 Strike Eagle is a world-renowned dual role fighter with an already exemplary reputation. These dramatically advanced versions of that battle-tested platform provide a strong deterrent capability to potential aggressors and strengthen our long and important relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Col. Ronald E. Dunlap III, AFLCMC F-15SA Security Assistance program manager. “I’m extremely proud of our AFLCMC team working with Boeing and alongside the Royal Saudi Air Force over the past several years to deliver this vital capability.”

The new aircraft sports a digital electronic warfare suite, fly-by-wire flight control system, an infrared search-and-track system, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, advanced cockpit displays and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems among many other advancements.

In addition to the new aircraft, the FMS case also includes associated spares, stores, simulators, training, technical documentation, base construction and other related logistical and program support.

AFLCMC delivers final F-15SA to Royal Saudi Air Force

The final F-15SA advanced fighter aircraft were delivered Dec. 10 to the Royal Saudi Air Force – a key milestone supporting the National Defense Strategy imperative to strengthen alliances and attract

www.af.mil

 

[Test7]

Saudi Arabia cuts defence spending​

Saudi Arabia will cut its defence budget for 2021 by 3.8% to SAR175 billion (USD46.62 billion), marking a continued decline in the country’s defence spending, according to budget documentation released on 16 December.

Overall government spending was reduced to SAR990 billion, down 2.94% year-on-year. Government revenues are anticipated to be SAR849 billion, creating a budget deficit of SAR141 billion, or 4.9% of GDP. Defence expenditure as a percentage of public expenditure is expected to remain relatively stable in nominal terms at 17.68%. Defence spending as a proportion of GDP is also forecast to decline from 7.04% in 2020 to 5.81% in 2021, a level not seen since 2013, as the overall budget is also reduced to 2014 levels.

Budget information provided under the reporting line of “military sector” covers 19 government bodies including the Saudi Armed forces, Royal Guard, defence research and development, military training and development, as well as military health services and cities and bases.

Saudi Arabia has continued to cut defence spending, with in-year overspend levels also decreasing. (Saudi Ministry of Finance/Janes)

Key project achievements outlined this year included the initiation of the first phase of construction for facilities at the King Salman Airbase, implementing the first phase of the relocation and establishing the King Faisal Air Academy, setting a 10-year development plan as part of the overall development of the Ministry of the National Guard, and continuing to aim for the localisation of 50% of defence procurement expenditure under Vision 2030.

Aims for 2021 include completing the King Salman Airbase and relocation of the King Faisal Air Academy, continued capacity building for the branches of the military, and the ongoing implementation of the development plan for the Ministry of Defence.

Saudi Arabia cuts defence spending

Saudi Arabia will cut its defence budget for 2021 by 3.8% to SAR175 billion (USD46.62 billion), marking a continued decline in the country’s defence spending, according...

www.janes.com

 

[Test7]

Yemen houthi shot down Saudi Arabian CH-4B UAV​

A CH-4B is an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, an entity under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The CH-4B is a mixed attack and reconnaissance system with provisions for 6 weapons and a payload of up to 250 to 345 kg. CH-4B is under license prodused in Saudi Arabia.

Yemen houthi shot down Saudi Arabian CH-4B UAV (video)

Yemen houthi shot down Saudi Arabian CH-4B UAV A CH-4B is an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Ae...

thedeaddistrict.blogspot.com

 

[Test7]

US approves SDB I sale to Saudi Arabia​

The proposed sale comprises 3,000 air-launched SDB I munitions, as well as spares and support, for an estimated USD290 million.

“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by increasing its stocks of long-range, precision air-to-ground munitions. The size and accuracy of the SDB I allows for an effective munition with less collateral damage,” the DSCA said in its approval notification. “The potential sale will further strengthen the interoperability between the United States and Saudi Arabia.”

The 250 b-class SDB I bombs are being purchased by Saudi Arabia as part of its wider procurement of the Boeing F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) Eagle combat aircraft. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) recently received the last of its 84 newbuild F-15SA aircraft from Boeing and is in the process of receiving a further 66 F-15S (Saudi) aircraft that are being upgraded to the same F-15SA standard via the F-15SR (Saudi Retrofit) programme.

US approves SDB I sale to Saudi Arabia

The United States has approved the sale of the Boeing GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb I (SDB I) to Saudi Arabia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on...

www.janes.com

 

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