Royal Saudi Air Force
From Worldatplay
(Difference between revisions)
(→Inventory) |
(No F16s in the RSAF) |
||
| (3 intermediate revisions not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakhiah as Sa'udiya), is the air force branch of [[Military_of_Saudi_Arabia|Saudi Arabian armed forces]]. After the Israeli Air Force (900 aircraft), and the Egyptian Air Force (600 aircraft), the RSAF has the third largest air combat capability in the Middle East. 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-15's after the USAF and the JASDF. | The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakhiah as Sa'udiya), is the air force branch of [[Military_of_Saudi_Arabia|Saudi Arabian armed forces]]. After the Israeli Air Force (900 aircraft), and the Egyptian Air Force (600 aircraft), the RSAF has the third largest air combat capability in the Middle East. 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-15's after the USAF and the JASDF. | ||
| - | The RSAF is dominated by the F-15, and Tornado, other tactical aircraft used in large numbers include the F-5 Tiger II | + | The RSAF is dominated by the F-15, and Tornado, other tactical aircraft used in large numbers include the F-5 Tiger II and the Mirage 2000. |
<center>'''Roundel of the Royal Saudi Air Force'''<br>[[Image:Roundel_of_the_RSAF.PNG|200-px]]</center> | <center>'''Roundel of the Royal Saudi Air Force'''<br>[[Image:Roundel_of_the_RSAF.PNG|200-px]]</center> | ||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
=Inventory= | =Inventory= | ||
| - | [[Image:RSAFTornadoIDS.jpg|thumb|Royal Saudi Air Force Tornado IDS]] | + | [[Image:RSAFTornadoIDS.jpg|thumb|2 Royal Saudi Air Force Tornado IDS]] |
| - | + | [[Image:RSAFTornadoADV.jpg|thumb|RSAF Tornado ADV]] | |
| + | [[Image:RSAFF-15C.jpg|thumb|RSAF F-15C Eagle refuelling]] | ||
| + | [[Image:F-16E.jpg|thumb|RSAF F-16E Desert Falcon]] | ||
| + | [[Image:E-3Sentry.jpg|thumb|RSAF E-3A Sentry]] | ||
| + | [[Image:Tigereye.jpg|thumb|A rare RSAF RF-5E Tigereye]] | ||
==Fighter/Strike Aircraft== | ==Fighter/Strike Aircraft== | ||
| Line 16: | Line 20: | ||
*4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15C/D Eagle (82 aircraft in total) | *4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15C/D Eagle (82 aircraft in total) | ||
*4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15S Strike Eagle (72 aircraft in total) | *4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15S Strike Eagle (72 aircraft in total) | ||
| - | + | ||
| - | + | ||
*1 Squadron of Dassault Mirage 2000-5 (12 aircraft in total) | *1 Squadron of Dassault Mirage 2000-5 (12 aircraft in total) | ||
*3 Squadrons of Dassault Mirage 2000-9 (60 aircraft in total) | *3 Squadrons of Dassault Mirage 2000-9 (60 aircraft in total) | ||
*6 Squadrons of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II (112 aircraft in total) | *6 Squadrons of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II (112 aircraft in total) | ||
*1 Squadron of SEPECAT Jaguar (18 aircraft in total) | *1 Squadron of SEPECAT Jaguar (18 aircraft in total) | ||
| + | *1 Squadron of BAe Hawk 209 (12 aircraft in total) | ||
==Special Mission Aircraft== | ==Special Mission Aircraft== | ||
| Line 44: | Line 48: | ||
**4 CASA CN-235 | **4 CASA CN-235 | ||
**2 Cessna 550 Citation | **2 Cessna 550 Citation | ||
| + | **Agusta-Bell AS-61 | ||
==Helicopters== | ==Helicopters== | ||
| + | |||
| + | *1 Squadron of Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar (12 aircraft in total) | ||
==Trainers== | ==Trainers== | ||
| + | |||
| + | *Basic Training | ||
| + | **12 Grob G 115TA | ||
| + | **28 PAC Super Mushshak | ||
| + | *Intermediate/Advanced Training | ||
| + | **58 Pilatus PC-9 | ||
| + | **23 Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer | ||
| + | *Fast Jet/Lead-in Fighter Training | ||
| + | **65 BAe Hawk | ||
| + | **4 BAe Hawk 100 | ||
| + | *Navigation/Multi-Engine Training | ||
| + | **2 BAe Jetstream | ||
=Ensign of the RSAF= | =Ensign of the RSAF= | ||
<center>[[Image:Ensign_of_the_RSAF.PNG|400-px]]</center> | <center>[[Image:Ensign_of_the_RSAF.PNG|400-px]]</center> | ||
| + | |||
| + | =Future Requirements= | ||
| + | |||
| + | The main threat faced by Saudi Arabia is Iraq, under Ba'athist dictatorship of Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf. | ||
| + | |||
| + | General Muhammad Hassan, Chief of the Air Staff, announced that the RSAF would begin a process of "Ratonalisation and Modernisation", priorities include the replacement of F-5 Tigers, and Jaguars (probably with the F-16E/F), and moving the trainer inventory to fewer types of more moden aircraft. The aim is to reduce 7 types of trainer to four. Saudi Arabia will also modernise its transport fleet | ||
[[Category:Military of Saudi Arabia|Air Force, Royal Saudi]] | [[Category:Military of Saudi Arabia|Air Force, Royal Saudi]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Air forces|Saudi Arabia]] | ||
Current revision as of 23:21, 8 March 2011
The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakhiah as Sa'udiya), is the air force branch of Saudi Arabian armed forces. After the Israeli Air Force (900 aircraft), and the Egyptian Air Force (600 aircraft), the RSAF has the third largest air combat capability in the Middle East. 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-15's after the USAF and the JASDF.
The RSAF is dominated by the F-15, and Tornado, other tactical aircraft used in large numbers include the F-5 Tiger II and the Mirage 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Inventory
[edit] Fighter/Strike Aircraft
- 4 Squadrons of Panavia Tornado IDS (87 aircraft in total)
- 2 Squadrons of Panavia Tornado ADV (24 aircraft in total)
- 1 Squadron of Panavia Tornado ECR (18 aircraft in total)
- 4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15C/D Eagle (82 aircraft in total)
- 4 Squadrons of Boeing F-15S Strike Eagle (72 aircraft in total)
- 1 Squadron of Dassault Mirage 2000-5 (12 aircraft in total)
- 3 Squadrons of Dassault Mirage 2000-9 (60 aircraft in total)
- 6 Squadrons of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II (112 aircraft in total)
- 1 Squadron of SEPECAT Jaguar (18 aircraft in total)
- 1 Squadron of BAe Hawk 209 (12 aircraft in total)
[edit] Special Mission Aircraft
- 1 Squadron of Northrop RF-5E Tigereye (10 aircraft in total)
- 1 Squadron of Boeing E-3A Sentry (5 aircraft in total)
[edit] Transport Aircraft
- 1 Squadron of Boeing KE-3A Sentry (8 aircraft in total)
- 2 Squadrons of Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker (24 aircraft in total)
- 4 Squadrons of Lockheed C-130 Hercules (44 aircraft in total, C-130E, C-130H, KC-130H, VC-130H)
- 1 Squadron of Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules (12 aircraft in total)
- 1 Boeing 757 Medical Transport
- Royal Flight of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (N.B. usually with civil registrations)
- 1 Boeing 747-300
- 1 Boeing 747SP
- 1 Airbus A340
- 1 McDonnell Douglas MD-11
- 2 Boeing Business Jets
- 4 BAe 125
- 4 CASA CN-235
- 2 Cessna 550 Citation
- Agusta-Bell AS-61
[edit] Helicopters
- 1 Squadron of Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar (12 aircraft in total)
[edit] Trainers
- Basic Training
- 12 Grob G 115TA
- 28 PAC Super Mushshak
- Intermediate/Advanced Training
- 58 Pilatus PC-9
- 23 Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer
- Fast Jet/Lead-in Fighter Training
- 65 BAe Hawk
- 4 BAe Hawk 100
- Navigation/Multi-Engine Training
- 2 BAe Jetstream
[edit] Ensign of the RSAF
[edit] Future Requirements
The main threat faced by Saudi Arabia is Iraq, under Ba'athist dictatorship of Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf.
General Muhammad Hassan, Chief of the Air Staff, announced that the RSAF would begin a process of "Ratonalisation and Modernisation", priorities include the replacement of F-5 Tigers, and Jaguars (probably with the F-16E/F), and moving the trainer inventory to fewer types of more moden aircraft. The aim is to reduce 7 types of trainer to four. Saudi Arabia will also modernise its transport fleet
