Royal Saudi Air Force

The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: ‎الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ الْمَلَكِيَّةْ ٱلسُّعُوْدِيَّة, romanized: Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Malakiyah as-Su’udiyah) (RSAF) is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces.

Royal Saudi Air Force
القوات الجوية الملكية السعودية
Badge of the Royal Saudi Air Force
FoundedJune 1920; 103 years ago (1920-06) [1]
Country Saudi Arabia
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Size20,000
456 combat aircraft 1,106 total aircraft
Part ofSaudi Arabian Armed Forces
Motto(s)"الله أكبر"
God is the greatest
Engagements
Decorations
WebsiteOfficial website
Commanders
Commander of the Air ForceLieutenant General Turki bin Bandar Al Saud
Insignia
Roundel
Low Visible roundel
Aircraft flown
Electronic
warfare
E-3 Sentry, Saab 2000 AEW&C
FighterPanavia Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15E
HelicopterBell 412, AS532, Sikorsky UH-60
ReconnaissancePanavia Tornado, King Air 350
TrainerPilatus PC-21A, PAC MFI-395, Cirrus SR22, BAE Hawk
TransportC-130H, C-130J, King Air 350

The Royal Saudi Air Force currently has approximately 1,106 aircraft, 40,000 active personnel, 23,000 recruits, 9 wings, +99 squadrons, and a Special Forces unit dedicated to combat search and rescue.

The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability, and maintains the third largest fleet of F-15s after the U.S. 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 48 Eurofighter Typhoons delivered by BAE.


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