Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force grew from a handful of ex-Hejazi biplanes into the largest air force in the Gulf, built on British Lightnings and Tornados and American F-5s and F-15s; it led the coalition air war in Yemen from 2015, which independent monitors and human rights groups linked to thousands of civilian deaths and which the coalition defends as lawful, and in 2026 it is defending the kingdom against Iranian and Houthi missiles while waiting on the F-35, more Typhoons and a possible place in Turkey’s KAAN.
The Royal Saudi Air Force story: Hejazi biplanes, British Lightnings and Tornados, and the air war over Yemen
1920s–1960s: Hejazi biplanes, British instructors and an American base
Saudi military flying predates the kingdom itself. Wikipedia traces the air force to the Hejaz Air Force of 1916 and to the Hejaz–Nejd air arm formed in the mid-1920s with British help from what was left of King Ali of Hejaz’s aircraft: Westland Wapiti biplanes flown by pilots who had served the Hashemites. A military contract with Britain followed in 1937, a military airstrip at Jeddah in 1939, and Saudi students were sent to England for flying training in 1949–1950. The service dates its modern form to 1952: according to the English Wikipedia, the air force flag was raised at a hangar at Jeddah airport on 5 November 1952 in the presence of the Minister of Defence, Prince Mishaal bin Abdulaziz; the Arabic Wikipedia gives 16 November 1952. The same year American assistance began, including USAF use of the air base at Dhahran.
1965–1986: the Lightning, the Hunter and the first wars on the Yemen border
The jet age came from both Britain and America — Vampires, F-86F Sabres and T-33s — but the decisive step was British. On 21 December 1965 Saudi Arabia ordered 34 Lightning F.53s and six T.55 trainers in a package that also brought 25 BAC Strikemasters, new radars and American Hawk missiles. While those were built, the interim "Magic Carpet" deal of March 1966 delivered six ex-RAF Lightnings and six Hunters in July 1966. The Hunters were flown against Yemeni forces on the southern border, where one was lost in 1967, before the survivors were given to Jordan in 1968. In the al-Wadiah war of November–December 1969, Lightnings flown by Saudi and Pakistani pilots from Khamis Mushait attacked South Yemeni supply lines; one F.53 was shot down by ground fire on 3 May 1970, and its pilot was rescued.
1972–1991: F-5s, F-15s, AWACS and the Tornado — and two Mirages over the Gulf
In the 1970s the air force turned to the United States. Northrop F-5s arrived from 1972, and F-15 Eagles under the Peace Sun programme from 1981, followed by the E-3A AWACS. On 5 June 1984, according to Wikipedia, RSAF F-15C pilots shot down two Iranian F-4E Phantoms over the Gulf; Iran’s own account of the clash could not be checked for this page. The Al Yamamah contract with Britain, signed on 25 September 1985, bought 48 Tornado IDS and 24 Tornado ADV, plus 30 Hawk trainers, and the remaining 22 Lightnings were traded back to British Aerospace in January 1986. In the 1991 Gulf war the RSAF flew F-15Cs, Tornados and F-5s alongside the coalition. On 24 January 1991 Captain Ayedh al-Shamrani of the RSAF shot down two Iraqi Mirage F1s heading for the Gulf coast; Wikipedia records the loss of one Tornado IDS on the night of 19/20 January and two Saudi fixed-wing aircraft in all.
2009–2022: from the Houthi border war to Decisive Storm
After 1991 the fleet grew into the largest in the Gulf: 72 F-15S strike aircraft in the late 1990s, 48 more Tornados under Al Yamamah II, 72 Eurofighter Typhoons from the 2007 Al Salam deal, and on 29 December 2011 a US$29.4 billion contract for 84 new F-15SA and the upgrade of the F-15S fleet. The air force went back to war on its own border in November 2009, sending F-15s and Tornados against the Houthis after a cross-border attack; the Saudi government later gave 133 soldiers killed in that campaign. In September 2014 it joined the US-led strikes on the Islamic State in Syria. On 26 March 2015 Saudi Arabia launched Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen, at the head of a coalition supporting President Hadi’s government against the Houthis. The Yemen Data Project counted 25,054 air raids by the coalition between March 2015 and April 2022, when a UN-brokered truce took hold.
Civilian casualties, the inquiries and the coalition’s position
The air war’s cost to civilians is documented by groups the coalition disputes. The Yemen Data Project attributes 8,672 civilian deaths and 9,741 injuries to coalition air raids, as cited by Wikipedia; Amnesty International documented 42 strikes it says violated international humanitarian law, killing 518 civilians. Human Rights Watch called the strike on a Sanaa funeral hall on 8 October 2016 and the bombing of a school bus at Dhahyan on 9 August 2018 apparent war crimes. The coalition’s Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) said the funeral strike was based on wrong information and, for the bus, that the strike was not needed to prevent an imminent attack and that those responsible would be held to account. The coalition has said throughout that it targets only military objectives. The UN Human Rights Council ended the mandate of its Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen in October 2021; Human Rights Watch noted that no alternative monitoring mechanism replaced it.
2023–2026: a truce, an Iran war, and the Houthis again
The truce of April 2022 expired on 2 October 2022 but open fighting largely stopped while Saudi Arabia and the Houthis talked through Omani mediators. That calm broke in 2026. The 2026 Iran war began on 28 February; Iran struck targets in Saudi Arabia from 1 March, and on 27 March an Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged US tankers and an E-3 and injured at least 15 US personnel, according to reports collated by Wikipedia. In September 2026 heavy fighting resumed in Yemen; the Houthis took Mocha and fired missiles and drones at Saudi cities, and the coalition said it intercepted six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu on 24 September. Britain sent an RAF Voyager tanker to refuel Saudi jets. On the procurement side, the White House approved future F-35 deliveries on 18 November 2025, and Turkish Aerospace said in February 2026 that talks on Saudi participation in the KAAN fighter were in their final stages.
The Royal Saudi Air Force in numbers
שֵׁרוּת
- שם מקומי
- القوات الجوية الملكية السعوديةArabic: al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya as-Sa’udiya, as titled in the Arabic Wikipedia. The official site rsaf.gov.sa could not be reached for this update
- מְבוּסָס
- 5 November 1952The date the air force flag was raised at Jeddah according to the English Wikipedia; the Arabic Wikipedia gives 16 November 1952. Saudi military flying goes back to the Hejaz air arm of 1916 and the Hejaz–Nejd air force of the mid-1920s
- חלק מ
- Saudi Arabian Armed ForcesUnder the Ministry of Defence (Minister: Prince Khalid bin Salman). The army, navy and National Guard fly their own helicopters
- מַטֶה
- RiyadhSeat of the Ministry of Defence and the air force command; the official sites could not be reached to confirm the address
- מְפַקֵד
- Lt. Gen. Turki bin Bandar Al SaudAppointed by royal order on 26 February 2018 (Saudi Press Agency, via Wikipedia)
- צוות התצוגה
- Saudi Hawks (الصقور السعودية)BAE Hawk Mk 65/65A; first Hawk Mk 165 received February 2024. Formed 1998 according to the English Wikipedia, 12 June 1997 according to the Arabic Wikipedia
כּוֹחַ
- כוח אדם
- About 30,000Wikipedia’s figure; an IISS figure could not be checked for this update
- מטוסי קרב
-
- F-15C/D, F-15SA and F-15SR — 232 (211 F-15C/S/SA plus 21 F-15D)
- Eurofighter Typhoon — 72
- Tornado IDS — 81
FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025. The Tornado figure is FlightGlobal’s; how many remain airworthy is not published
- Surveillance and tankers
-
- E-3A Sentry — 5, plus 1 RE-3A
- Saab 2000 Erieye — 2
- KE-3A — 7
- A330 MRTT — 6 (4 on order)
- KC-130H — 7, KC-130J — 2
FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025. On 27 March 2026 an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged a US E-3, according to reports collated by Wikipedia; no Saudi aircraft losses were confirmed
- תַחְבּוּרָה
-
- C-130H Hercules — 33
- King Air 350 — 9 transport, 8 reconnaissance (4 more on order)
- Citation Bravo — 4; Gulfstream IV — 2; Jetstream 31 — 1
FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025
- מסוקים
-
- Bell 212/412 — 36
- AS332/H215M Super Puma — 15 (2 on order)
- UH-60L — 2
Search and rescue and utility. Attack and transport helicopters belong to the army and National Guard
- נעלי ספורט
-
- BAE Hawk Mk 65/65A/165 — 81
- Pilatus PC-21 — 55
- Cirrus SR22 — 25
- PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak — 20
FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025; Wikipedia lists the Pakistani trainer as the MFI-17 Mushshak
תַשׁתִית
- בסיסי אוויר עיקריים
-
- King Abdulaziz Air Base, Dhahran
- King Fahad Air Base, Taif
- King Khalid Air Base, Khamis Mushait
- Prince Sultan Air Base, Al-Kharj
- King Faisal Air Base, Tabuk
- King Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah
- King Saud Air Base, Hafar al-Batin
- Al-Jouf Air Base
Wikipedia lists 14 numbered wings at these bases plus the King Faisal Air Academy; squadron-to-base assignments are not repeated here
- בית ספר לטיסה
- King Faisal Air AcademyHome of Wing 1 according to Wikipedia; PC-21s and Hawks are part of the 2012 training system
- Foreign forces
- US forces at Prince Sultan Air BaseStruck by Iran on 27 March 2026 according to reports collated by Wikipedia
- Allied support (2026)
- RAF Voyager tankerAnnounced by the UK prime minister on 22 September 2026 to refuel Saudi jets, time-limited, no timetable given (Al Jazeera)
How the Royal Saudi Air Force is organised
One air force under the Ministry of Defence, commanded from Riyadh, with 14 numbered wings at its main bases according to Wikipedia and the King Faisal Air Academy. Three fighter types make up the front line: 232 F-15s of several versions, 72 Eurofighter Typhoons and 81 Tornado IDS, according to FlightGlobal’s World Air Forces 2025. The air force does not publish which squadrons fly from which base, and unofficial lists are not repeated here; attack and transport helicopters belong to the army and the National Guard.
Royal Saudi Air Force
The air force of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, under the Ministry of Defence of Prince Khalid bin Salman. Lt Gen Turki bin Bandar Al Saud was named commander by royal order on 26 February 2018, according to the Saudi Press Agency as cited by Wikipedia; no later change was found, although the Arabic Wikipedia still names his predecessor. The Chief of the General Staff, Air Chief Marshal Fayyadh al-Ruwaili, is himself an air force officer.
F-15 fleet
232 F-15s of several versions according to FlightGlobal’s World Air Forces 2025: F-15C/Ds bought under Peace Sun from 1981, and F-15S strike aircraft upgraded to F-15SR alongside 84 new F-15SAs under the US$29.4 billion contract of 29 December 2011. Wikipedia calls it the second-largest F-15 fleet after the US Air Force’s. The air force does not publish which squadrons fly from which base.
Typhoon and Tornado fleets
72 Eurofighter Typhoons bought under the Al Salam deal of 2007 and 81 Tornado IDS bought under Al Yamamah, according to FlightGlobal; how many Tornados remain airworthy is not published, and Saudi Arabia is the only export operator of the type. A follow-on Typhoon order has been discussed for years but no contract was confirmed by October 2026.
AWACS and tanker fleet
Five E-3A Sentry and one RE-3A, two Saab 2000 Erieye, seven KE-3A tankers, six A330 MRTT with four more on order, and seven KC-130H and two KC-130J, according to FlightGlobal. Wikipedia names a base for these fleets, but on an enthusiast database’s authority, so it is not repeated.
8th Wing
Wikipedia describes King Abdullah Air Base, the military side of Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, as the base of the 8th Wing with C-130H transports; the air force does not publish this itself. FlightGlobal counts 33 C-130H, nine King Air 350 transports and eight reconnaissance King Airs, four Citation Bravo, two Gulfstream IV and a Jetstream 31.
King Faisal Air Academy and the Saudi Hawks
The academy was founded on 11 January 1968 and opened by King Faisal at Riyadh Air Base on 20 May 1970; where it flies since that base was demolished in 2021–2022 is not stated in the sources checked. The fleet has 81 Hawks, 55 PC-21s, 25 SR22s and 20 Super Mushshaks. The Saudi Hawks display team, No. 88 Squadron, flies Hawks from Tabuk.
Search and rescue and utility helicopters
36 Bell 212/412s, 15 AS332/H215M Super Pumas with two more on order and two UH-60L Black Hawks, according to FlightGlobal. Attack and transport helicopters belong to the army and the National Guard, not the air force.
What the Royal Saudi Air Force flies today
כל סוג בטעינה, מקושר לדף ספר החיות שלו במידה וקיים כזה. ספירות הן מטוסים בספרים, לא מטוסים זמינים ביום נתון.
| סוּג | תַפְקִיד | בשירות | מֵאָז | יחידות | הערות | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing F-15SA and F-15SRבשירות | Multirole strike fighter | 2016 | FlightGlobal counts 211 F-15C/S/SA together, plus 21 F-15D; the split between F-15C and F-15SA/SR is not published.
יוֹתֵרThe 2011 contract covered 84 new F-15SA and the upgrade of the F-15S fleet (68 airframes per Wikipedia) to F-15SR. |
|||
| מקדונל דאגלס F-15C/D איגלבשירות | לוחם עליונות אווירית | 1981 | Wikipedia gives 46 F-15C and 16 F-15D in 2024; FlightGlobal 2025 lists 21 F-15D and combines the F-15C with the F-15S/SA. | |||
| יורופייטר טייפוןבשירות | לוחם רב-משימתי | 72 | 2009 | 72 bought under the Al Salam deal; FlightGlobal lists all 72 in service. | ||
| פנביה טורנדו IDSבשירות | מטוסי תקיפה | 81 | 1986 | FlightGlobal 2025 figure. 96 bought in all (48 under Al Yamamah I in 1985, 48 under Al Yamamah II in 1993). | ||
| Boeing E-3A Sentry and RE-3Aבשירות | Airborne early warning; signals intelligence | 6 | 5 E-3A and 1 RE-3A (FlightGlobal 2025). | |||
| סאאב 2000 אירייהבשירות | התרעה מוקדמת מוטסת | 2 | FlightGlobal 2025. | |||
| Boeing KE-3Aבשירות | מְכַלִית | 7 | FlightGlobal 2025. | |||
| איירבוס A330 MRTTבשירות | הובלת מכליות | 6 | 6 in service, 4 on order (FlightGlobal 2025). | |||
| Lockheed C-130H and KC-130H/J Herculesבשירות | הובלה ומכלית | 42 | 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H and 2 KC-130J (FlightGlobal 2025). | |||
| ביצ'קראפט קינג אייר 350בשירות | Transport and reconnaissance | 17 | 9 transport and 8 reconnaissance, with 4 more reconnaissance aircraft on order (FlightGlobal 2025). | |||
| Cessna Citation Bravo, Gulfstream IV and BAe Jetstream 31בשירות | Liaison and training | 7 | 4 Citation Bravo, 2 Gulfstream IV, 1 Jetstream 31 (FlightGlobal 2025). | |||
| Bell 212 and Bell 412בשירות | Utility and search and rescue helicopter | 36 | FlightGlobal 2025 (36 together); Wikipedia lists 22 Bell 212 and 14 Bell 412. | |||
| Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma / Airbus H215Mבשירות | מסוק חיפוש והצלה | 15 | 15 in service, 2 on order (FlightGlobal 2025). | |||
| סיקורסקי UH-60L בלאק הוקבשירות | מסוק שירות | 2 | FlightGlobal 2025. | |||
| BAE Systems Hawk Mk 65, 65A and 165בשירות | Advanced jet trainer; display team | 81 | 1987 | 30 Mk 65 (ordered 1986), 20 Mk 65A (1994), 22 Mk 165 (2012) and 22 Mk 165 (2016, assembled in Saudi Arabia); 81 in service per FlightGlobal and Wikipedia. | ||
| פילאטוס PC-21בשירות | מאמן בסיסי ומתקדם | 55 | 2014 | 55 ordered on 23 May 2012 in a GBP 1.6 billion training package with 22 Hawks. | ||
| Cirrus SR22בשירות | מאמן ראשי | 25 | FlightGlobal 2025. | |||
| PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshakבשירות | מאמן ראשי | 20 | FlightGlobal 2025 lists 20 MFI-395; Wikipedia lists 20 MFI-17 Mushshak. |
בהזמנה
| סוּג | הוזמן | משלוח ראשון | הערות | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לוקהיד מרטין F-35A לייטנינג IIבהזמנה | The White House fact sheet of 18 November 2025 says President Trump "approved a major defense sale package, including future F-35 deliveries", signed with the US–Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement.
יוֹתֵרNo number or variant was published; Breaking Defense reported in February 2026 that there had been little reporting since. Approval is not a contract: no Letter of Offer and Acceptance was confirmed by October 2026. |
|||
| איירבוס A330 MRTTבהזמנה | 4 | FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025 lists four on order in addition to six in service. | ||
| Beechcraft King Air 350 reconnaissanceבהזמנה | 4 | FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025. | ||
| Airbus H215Mבהזמנה | 2 | FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025. | ||
| באיקר באירקטר אקינצ'יבהזמנה | Wikipedia reports a 2023 export contract with Baykar, which Turkey’s defence industry agency called its largest single export at over US$3 billion.
יוֹתֵרNumbers, the operating service and delivery status were not confirmed. |
|||
| TUSAŞ KAANבהזמנה | Not an order.
יוֹתֵרTurkish Aerospace’s general manager Mehmet Demiroglu said at the World Defense Show in February 2026 that talks on Saudi participation were in the "final stages", with options ranging from about 20 aircraft to local assembly; Riyadh had not commented. |
Every type the Royal Saudi Air Force has retired
22 types, from the Hawker Hunter F.60 and T.7 to the English Electric Lightning F.52, F.53, T.54 and T.55. נתוני השיא הם מספר שלדי המטוסים שנלקחו תחת אחריות לאורך כל חיי השירות, לא מספר כוחות הצי בכל תאריך נתון.
| סוּג | תַפְקִיד | שִׂיא | מוגש | הוחלף על ידי | הערות | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Electric Lightning F.52, F.53, T.54 and T.55 | Interceptor and ground attack | 1966–1986 | Tornado ADV | 6 interim ex-RAF aircraft (4 F.52, 2 T.54) in 1966, then 34 F.53 and 6 T.55 ordered on 21 December 1965; 22 flyable aircraft were traded in in 1986. | ||
| Hawker Hunter F.60 and T.7 | מפציץ קרב | 6 | 1966–1968 | בָּרָק | Six delivered under the Magic Carpet deal in July 1966. | |
| Westland Wapiti IIA | General purpose biplane | Flown in the mid-1920s Hejaz–Nejd air arm by pilots who had served Ali of Hejaz. Numbers and dates not confirmed. | ||||
| de Havilland Vampire FB.52 | Jet fighter-bomber | Listed among retired types; service dates not confirmed for this update. | ||||
| נורת' אמריקן F-86F סייבר | מטוס קרב | Listed among retired types; service dates not confirmed for this update. | ||||
| Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star | מאמן סילון | Listed among retired types; service dates not confirmed. | ||||
| BAC Strikemaster Mk 80/80A | מאמן סילון ותקיפה קלה | 25 | 25 in the December 1965 Lightning package; later Mk 80A deliveries not counted here. | |||
| Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II and RF-5E | Light fighter and reconnaissance | 1972– | Wikipedia lists 87 F-5E/F and 10 RF-5E in the 1991 Gulf war order of battle. | |||
| Panavia Tornado ADV | יירוט | 24 | 1989– | 24 under Al Yamamah I (1985). | ||
| North American T-28A Trojan | מְאַמֵן | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Beechcraft T-34A Mentor | מאמן ראשי | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| North American T-6A Texan | מְאַמֵן | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Temco T-35A Buckaroo | מאמן ראשי | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| de Havilland Canada Chipmunk Mk 10 | מאמן ראשי | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Cessna O-1 Bird Dog | קֶשֶׁר | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Cessna 310 | קֶשֶׁר | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Douglas C-54A Skymaster | תַחְבּוּרָה | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| de Havilland Comet 4C | הסעות VIP | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Lockheed JetStar | הסעות VIP | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| BAe 146 | הסעות VIP | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| אירוספייאלה אלואט III | מסוק קל | Listed among retired types. | ||||
| Bell OH-58A Kiowa | מסוק קל | Listed among retired RSAF types; the army still flies OH-58s. |
Where the Royal Saudi Air Force flies from
סיכות שחורות הן בסיסים פעילים, סיכות חלולות הן שדות התעופה שנסגרו. American engineers built much of the network: Dhahran was a US Air Force airfield from 1946 to 1962, and the US Army Corps of Engineers built the cantonments at Khamis Mushait and Tabuk. Riyadh Air Base was demolished in 2021–2022 for King Salman Park and replaced by King Salman Air Base, inaugurated on 9 December 2025. Most positions come from Wikipedia rather than the national AIP, and entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| בָּסִיס | ICAO | סטָטוּס | מַסלוּל הַמרָאָה | יחידות ומטוסים |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-JoufAl-Jouf Province (Sakaka) | פָּעִיל | |||
| King AbdulazizEastern Province (Dhahran) | OEDR | פָּעִיל | 16R/34L3,660 מטר16L/34R3,600 מטר06/242,150 mבֵּטוֹן |
|
| King AbdullahMakkah Province (Jeddah) | OEJN | פָּעִיל | 16L/34R4,000 מטר16 מעלות צלזיוס/34 מעלות צלזיוס4,000 מטרבֵּטוֹן16R/34L3,800 מטר | |
| King FahadMakkah Province (Taif) | OETF | פָּעִיל | 07/253,735 m17/353,350 מטר |
|
| King FaisalTabuk Province (Tabuk) | OETB | פָּעִיל |
|
|
| King KhalidAsir Province (Khamis Mushait) | OEKM | פָּעִיל |
|
|
| King SalmanRiyadh Province (Riyadh) | OESN | פָּעִיל | 02L/20R3,301 מטרבטון ואספלט02R/20L4,000 מטרבטון ואספלט | |
| King SaudEastern Province (Hafar al-Batin, King Khalid Military City) | OEKK | פָּעִיל | ||
| הנסיך סולטןRiyadh Province (Al-Kharj) | OEPS | פָּעִיל | 17 ליטר/35 ימין4,000 מטר17R/35L4,000 מטר |
|
| RiyadhRiyadh Province (Riyadh) | סגור 2022 |
|
||
| Old Jeddah Airportal-KandarahMakkah Province (Jeddah) | נסגר בשנת 1981 |
אף בסיס אווירי לא תואם את החיפוש הזה.
Who is stationed where in the Royal Saudi Air Force
יחידות מעופפות לפי בסיס, היחידות הנוכחיות תחילה. The Royal Saudi Air Force does not publish its squadron-to-base assignments, so few of its own units appear here: the Saudi Hawks display team at Tabuk today, and the Lightnings of the 1960s at Khamis Mushait and Tabuk. The American, British and Pakistani units that have flown from Saudi bases, from the Gulf war of 1990–1991 to the Pakistani contingent at Dhahran in 2026, are listed and marked as not Saudi. Where Wikipedia’s articles disagree on a unit’s base, the entry says so.
- Pakistan Air Force contingentFighter and support detachment (deployed) · foreign
- Fighter and support aircraft
- 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (US Air Force)1990–1991
- F-15C/D איגל
- No. 31 Squadron detachment (Royal Air Force)1991–1991
- טורנדו GR1
- 4404th Wing (Provisional) (US Air Force)
- Magic Carpet Lightning and Hunter detachment1966–
- Lightning F.52 and T.54 (ex-RAF F.2 and T.4), Hunter F.60 and T.7
- 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (US Air Force)1990–1991
- F-117A Nighthawk
- No. 101 Squadron detachment (Royal Air Force)1991–1991
- Vickers VC10 tanker
- 48th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) (US Air Force)1990–1991
- General Dynamics F-111F
- 378th Air Expeditionary Wing (US Air Force)Air expeditionary wing · foreign
- Rotational US aircraft
- Saudi Hawks (No. 88 Squadron)Saudi Falcons · Aerobatic display team · active
- BAE Hawk Mk 65/65A; Mk 165 from 2024
- No. 2 Squadron RSAF
- Lightning F.53
אף יחידה לא תואמת את החיפוש.
Royal Saudi Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
Building on a Hejazi air arm of 1916, the Hejaz–Nejd air force is set up with British help, flying Westland Wapitis (8 January 1926 according to the Arabic Wikipedia).
5 November: the air force flag is raised at Jeddah airport in the presence of Prince Mishaal bin Abdulaziz (the Arabic Wikipedia gives 16 November). American assistance begins.
21 December: Saudi Arabia orders 34 Lightning F.53, six T.55 and 25 Strikemasters with Hawk missiles and radars.
Interim "Magic Carpet" Lightnings and Hunters arrive in July.
27 November–6 December: al-Wadiah war with South Yemen; Lightnings flown by Saudi and Pakistani pilots attack Yemeni supply lines.
First Northrop F-5s arrive, according to the Arabic Wikipedia.
First F-15 Eagles under the Peace Sun programme.
5 June: RSAF F-15Cs reportedly shoot down two Iranian F-4Es over the Gulf.
25 September: Al Yamamah I signed — 48 Tornado IDS, 24 Tornado ADV and 30 Hawks. The Lightnings go back to Britain in January 1986.
24 January: Capt. Ayedh al-Shamrani shoots down two Iraqi Mirage F1s during Desert Storm.
The Saudi Hawks display team is formed on the Hawk (1997 according to the Arabic Wikipedia).
17 September: GBP 4.4 billion contract for 72 Eurofighter Typhoons.
5 November: F-15s and Tornados strike Houthi positions after a cross-border attack.
29 December: US$29.4 billion contract for 84 F-15SA and the upgrade of the F-15S fleet.
26 March: Operation Decisive Storm opens the coalition air war in Yemen; Operation Restoring Hope follows on 22 April.
April: a UN-brokered truce halts the air war; it formally lapses on 2 October but large-scale strikes do not resume for years.
18 November: the White House approves future F-35 deliveries alongside a US–Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement.
Iran strikes Saudi territory from 1 March; in September fighting with the Houthis resumes and the coalition reports intercepting ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu.
Every war the Royal Saudi Air Force has fought
גיחות והפסדים היכן שהרקורד נותן להם, וריק אמיתי היכן שלא.
- Fighting on the Yemen border 1966–1968 Hunters flew ground-attack missions against Yemeni forces
- Al-Wadiah war 1969–1970 Lightnings attacked South Yemeni forces and supply lines; ground-attack missions continued into 1970
- Air clash with Iran over the Gulf 1984 F-15Cs intercepted Iranian fighters during the Iran–Iraq "tanker war"
- Gulf war 1990–1991 Air defence, interdiction, reconnaissance, tanker and airlift support within the US-led coalition
- Border war with the Houthis 2009–2010 F-15s and Tornados struck Houthi positions after a cross-border attack
The Royal Saudi Air Force display team
Each team has its own page: history, aircraft, the display, the accidents and the sources.
Royal Saudi Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Royal Saudi Air Force and the aircraft it flies. רשימה זו מתרעננת מעצמה - סיפורי Afterburner חדשים מופיעים כאן באופן אוטומטי.
Everything people ask about the Royal Saudi Air Force
What is the Royal Saudi Air Force called in Arabic?
Which fighter jets does the Royal Saudi Air Force fly?
When was the Royal Saudi Air Force founded?
Has the Royal Saudi Air Force shot down enemy aircraft?
Is Saudi Arabia buying the F-35?
What did the Royal Saudi Air Force do in Yemen?
How many civilians were killed by coalition airstrikes in Yemen?
What are the Saudi Hawks?
Did Saudi Arabia fly the English Electric Lightning?
Was the RSAF involved in the 2026 Iran war?
Read the aircraft the Royal Saudi Air Force flew
כל סוג עם עמוד בספר החיות, תחילה בשירות, ואז לפי השנה בה עזב את הצי.
כל עובדה, נבדקה
- FlightGlobal: World Air Forces 2025Saudi Arabia: RSAF Typhoon 72, F-15C/S/SA 211, F-15D 21, Tornado IDS 81, E-3A 5, RE-3A 1, Saab 2000 2, KE-3A 7, A330 MRTT 6+4, KC-130H 7, KC-130J 2, C-130H 33, King Air 350 9 and 8 recce (+4), Hawk 81, PC-21 55, SR22 25, MFI-395 20; army, navy and National Guard helicopters.
- The White House: Fact Sheet – President Donald J. Trump Solidifies Economic and Defense Partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (18 November 2025)Defence sale package "including future F-35 deliveries"; Strategic Defense Agreement signed.
- Breaking Defense: Turkish Aerospace in ‘final stages’ of talks over Saudis in KAAN fighter program (February 2026)Mehmet Demiroglu at World Defense Show 2026; about 20 aircraft or local production; F-35 clearance, Typhoon talks stalled, F-15EX offer.
- Breaking Defense: Eurofighter CEO says Turkish order could serve as ‘wake-up call’ for additional exports (November 2025)CEO lists Saudi Arabia among expected export campaigns.
- Yemen Data Project25,054 coalition air raids over seven years (March 2015–April 2022).
- Human Rights Watch: Yemen: Saudi-Led Funeral Attack Apparent War Crime (13 October 2016)8 October 2016 strike; health ministry 110 killed, 610 wounded; GBU-12 remnants; JIAT inquiry.
- Human Rights Watch: Yemen: Coalition Bus Bombing Apparent War Crime (2 September 2018)9 August 2018 Dhahyan strike; ICRC 50 killed incl. 29 children; JIAT statement of 1 September 2018.
- Human Rights Watch: World Report 2023 – YemenTruce April–October 2022; January 2022 strikes; end of the Group of Eminent Experts mandate in October 2021.
- Amnesty International: Yemen war: no end in sight (updated 24 March 2020)42 coalition strikes, 518 civilians killed, 433 injured; six types of cluster munitions; OHCHR count of more than 20,000 civilian casualties from all parties.
- Al Jazeera: Saudi Arabia news index (accessed 1 October 2026)Headlines of September 2026, including the Saudi foreign minister accusing Iran of flagrant attacks at the UN General Assembly (26 September).
- Al Jazeera: How much is UK supporting Saudi Arabia in its war with Iran-backed Houthis? (23 September 2026)RAF Voyager tanker announced 22 September 2026; renewed fighting.
- Al Jazeera: Saudi-led coalition says shot down 6 ballistic missiles launched by Houthis (24 September 2026)Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki; Houthi claims on Riyadh and Yanbu.
- Al Jazeera: Pakistan, Turkiye edge closer towards joining Saudi war against Houthis (25 September 2026)Mecca Joint Defence Agreement of 7 August 2026; Saudi Article 51 position; Houthi warnings.
- Al Jazeera: Yemen’s war disrupts roads and ports, deepening humanitarian crisis (29 September 2026)Fighting resumed mid-September 2026; UN displacement warning of 22 September.
- Aramco Life, The Arabian Sun: This Day in History, 21 November 2022Reprint of 1979 report: new Dhahran international terminal opened 21 November 1979, built for over 2 million passengers a year; work begun on lengthening the two main runways.
- US General Accounting Office: Patriot Missile Defense: Software Problem Led to System Failure at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (IMTEC-92-26), 4 February 1992Primary source: the Patriot battery at Dhahran failed to track and intercept a Scud on 25 February 1991, which hit an Army barracks and killed 28 Americans; the battery had been running for over 100 hours.
- Grathwol and Moorhus: Bricks, Sand, and Marble: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction in the Mediterranean and Middle East, 1947–1991 (US Army Center of Military History, 2010)Official history: Dhahran airfield construction programme of 1951; chapters on building cantonments for the Ministry of Defense and Aviation at Khamis Mushayt and Tabuk and on upgrading them; a chapter on King Khalid Military City.
- Saudi AIP, AD 2 OESN King Salman Airbase (AIRAC AIP AMDT 10/25, effective 25 October 2025), SANSPrimary: ARP N242806 E0463901; elevation 2,450 ft; military, controlled; runways 02L/20R 3,301 x 45 m and 02R/20L 4,000 x 45 m, concrete and asphalt.
- One Arabia: Crown Prince inaugurates new facilities at King Salman Air Base (9 December 2025)Inaugurated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 9 December 2025; 115 buildings over more than 126,000 square metres; begun in the third quarter of 2021, 38 months’ work.
- Saudi Press Agency: Riyadh Municipality begins developing the King Salman Air Base entrance and al-Nufud road (5 January 2025)Official Saudi news agency, in Arabic: 8 km road and interchange project to improve access to King Salman Air Base.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
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