Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia

Information Edit age: 18 availability: 8,240,714 (2004 est.) service: 4,725,514 (2004 est.) reaching age: 246,343 (2004 est.) active: 199,500 (Ranked 25th) amount: $31.255 billion (2006) percent GDP: 10%(2002) Ministry of Defence Royal Saudi Air Force Saudi Arabian Army Saudi Navy Royal Saudi Air Defense Independent troops Saudi Arabian National Guard Saudi Royal Guard Regiment General Intelligence Directorate Ministry of Interior Saudi Arabian Police Force Saudi Border Guard Saudi Coast Guard Al-Mujahidoon Saudi Emergency Force (C.T. / A.R.) Ranks of the Saudi Military Saudi Arabian military ranks

The Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation is responsible for the direction of the military of Saudi Arabia. The Ministry also has responsibility for the construction of civilian airports as well as military bases, and for Meteorology departments. Image File history File links Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia. ... Number of active troops per country This is a list of countries sorted by the total number of active troops where the military manpower of a country is measured by the total amount of active troops within the command of that country. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: , ), is the air force branch of Saudi Arabian armed forces. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Al-Fahd vehicle Saudi AMX-30 during the Battle of Khafji Saudi Arabian Army (Arabic: الجيش العربي السعودي) is a branch of the Saudi Armed Forces. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article is about the Royal Saudi Navy. ... RSAD Logo Royal Saudi Air Defense is the fourth branch of Saudi Armed Forces. ... The Saudi Arabian National Guard or SANG (aka White Army) is one of five branches or services of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces/military. ... The Saudi Arabian Royal Guard Regiment is one of the more visible units in the Royal Land Forces. ... Al Mukhabarat Al Aamah is the agency responsible for gathering intelligence for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ... The Special Emergency Force (قوة الطوارئ الخاصة) is a special operations counter-terrorism unit of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces. ... Image File history File links US_Army_E-4. ... Saudi Arabian military ranks: Officers Lieutenant (Arabic:ملازم) First Class Lieutenant (Arabic:ملازم أول) Captain (Arabic:نقيب) Major (Arabic:رائد) Lieutenant Colonel (Arabic:مقدم) Colonel (Arabic:عقيد) Brigadier General (Arabic:عميد) General (Arabic:لواء) First Class General (Arabic:فريق) Field Marshal (Arabic:فريق أول) First Class Field Marshal (Arabic:مشير) Enlisted Private (Arabic:جندي) First Class Private (Arabic:جندي أول) Corporal (Arabic:عريف) Vice Sergeant (Arabic:وكيل رقيب) Sergeant... // Meteorology (from Greek: μετέωρον, meteoron, high in the sky; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. ...

Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz has held the portfolio of Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defence Aviation since 1962. The Vice Minister, Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, is his full brother. His oldest son, Khalid bin Sultan, was appointed Assistant Minister of Defence for Military Affairs in 2001. Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: ) (born January 5, 1928 in Riyadh) is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. ... Abd al-Rahman bin Abdul Aziz (1931-) is Saudi Arabias Vice Minister of Defence & Aviation and a member of the Sudairi Seven faction of the Al Saud. ... Khalid bin Sultan (1949-), eldest son of Saudi Crown Prince Sultan, attended the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst and the US Armys Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. ...

Military Situation

With the collapse of the Iraqi Ba'athist regime in mid-2003, the greatest conventional threat to the Saudi Kingdom was eliminated. The military situation became both less threatening and more complex.

The most important threats now are from tribesmen in Yemen who cross the frontier at will (as they have for centuries) and whose presence threatens Saudi territorial integrity. The Islamic Republic of Iran is another potential threat. Its behavior since the fall of the Shah has generally been introverted, but also unpredictable and therefore worrying, however recent meetings between King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Ahmadinejad of Iran seem to be showing improved relations between the two nations. Shah or Shahzad is a Persian term for a monarch (ruler) that has been adopted in many other languages. ... The custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Arabic: , born August 1, 1924) [2] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ... , sometimes also transcribed into English as Mahmud, Mahmood, Ahmadinezhad, Ahmadi-Nejad, Ahmadi Nejad (Persian: ; born October 28, 1956), is the sixth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ...

Iranian air or sea action could threaten the free flow of oil, critical both to the industrial world and to the oil-producing countries. Shias of Iran could extend its reach (perhaps through Bahrain) to subvert the Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia. Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ...

Internal subversion is now the major threat. This is heightened by a growing population of young men who are facing daunting challenges to simply find work. Although Saudi Arabia is exceptionally religious and defers to religious authorities on many issues, the behavior and legitimacy of the Kingdom is under constant rhetorical attack from both liberal and conservative groups.

Such a threat cannot easily be contained by a military tailored to a more conventional scenario.

The rise of internal threats coincided with the American invasion of Iraq to the north. Car bombs and other attacks have been organized by cells based within the Kingdom. The police and intelligence communities have come to the forefront of the nation's defense.

Despite its at times anti-Western rhetoric, Saudi Arabia has been very dependent on Western military assistance for its security needs. When President Saddam Hussein of Iraq invaded Saudi Arabia's northern neighbor Kuwait in 1990 during the Persian Gulf War, Saudia Arabia immediately requested the deployment of US troops within the country to deter further aggression. Additionally, the country's oil exports through the shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf are protected by the US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain. In 2005, Saudi Arabia was the foremost purchaser of US armaments in the world, with over $1.1 billion in purchases.^[1] Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... Motto: Arabic: لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله (Transliteration: lā ilāhā illā-llāhu; muhammadun rasÅ«lu-llāhi) (Translation: There is no deity to be worshipped besides God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God) Anthem: Aash Al Maleek Capital Riyadh Largest city Riyadh Official language(s) Arabic Government Absolute monarchy  - King Abdullah bin... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... The 5th Fleet of the United States Navy is responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and coast off East Africa as far south as Kenya. ...

However, it seems that Saudi Arabia will start purchasing military equipment from other suppliers, including Russia. In October 2007, a memorandum of understanding was signed between these two countries which may result in a purchase of up to 150 new Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters in a deal worth 2.2 billion USD. Even T-90 tanks and anti-aircraft systems are rumoured. The Mil Mi-17 (Also known as the Mi-8MT, NATO reporting name Hip-H) was a Soviet cargo helicopter. ... The Mil Mi-24 is a large combat helicopter gunship and low-capacity troop transport operated from 1976 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and over thirty other nations. ... This article is about the Russian tank. ...

Budget comparison

The military is a major employer, and so it provides some relief to the nation's huge unemployment problem by bringing many young men into the defence of the country. Figures per annum. ... Figures per annum. ...

Military Branches

Military branches of Ministry of Defence :

• Saudi Arabian Army
• Royal Saudi Naval Forces (including a Naval Air Wing and Marines)
• Royal Saudi Air Force
• Royal Saudi Air Defense

Independent Military branches Al-Fahd vehicle Saudi AMX-30 during the Battle of Khafji Saudi Arabian Army (Arabic: الجيش العربي السعودي) is a branch of the Saudi Armed Forces. ... This article is about the Royal Saudi Navy. ... The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: , ), is the air force branch of Saudi Arabian armed forces. ... RSAD Logo Royal Saudi Air Defense is the fourth branch of Saudi Armed Forces. ...

• Saudi Arabian National Guard
• Saudi Royal Guard Regiment
• General Intelligence Directorate (Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah)
• Military Police Force
• Lightning Force (Qowwat Al-Sa'eqah - Commandos)

Military branches of Ministry of Interior The Saudi Arabian National Guard or SANG (aka White Army) is one of five branches or services of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces/military. ... The Saudi Arabian Royal Guard Regiment is one of the more visible units in the Royal Land Forces. ... Al Mukhabarat Al Aamah is the agency responsible for gathering intelligence for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ...

• General Security Forces

• Saudi Arabian Police Force
• Saudi Arabian Traffic Police Force
• Saudi Special Emergency Force (Counter-Terrorists / Anti-Riot)
• Mission-Security Force (Amn Al-Mahammaat)
• Secret Service (Al Mabaahith Al Jena'eyah)

• Saudi Arabian Border Guard

• Saudi Border Guard
• Saudi Coast Guard
• Al-Mujahidoon (support force for Border Guards)

• Civil Defense of Saudi Arabia

The Special Emergency Force (قوة الطوارئ الخاصة) is a special operations counter-terrorism unit of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces. ...

Military Industry

• Armored Vehicles

1. Al-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle
2. Al-Faris 8-400

^[2] Al Fahd armoured vehicle has been developed by the Abdallah Al Faris Company for Heavy Industries, which is based in Saudi Arabia at Dammam. ... Al-Faris 8-400 Armored Personnel Carrier The Al-Faris 8-400, produced by the Abdullah Al-Faris Heavy Industries company, is the product of 16 years of research and development by Saudi engineers and technicians. ...

Military ranks

Main article: Saudi Arabian military ranks

Saudi Arabian military ranks: Officers Lieutenant (Arabic:ملازم) First Class Lieutenant (Arabic:ملازم أول) Captain (Arabic:نقيب) Major (Arabic:رائد) Lieutenant Colonel (Arabic:مقدم) Colonel (Arabic:عقيد) Brigadier General (Arabic:عميد) General (Arabic:لواء) First Class General (Arabic:فريق) Field Marshal (Arabic:فريق أول) First Class Field Marshal (Arabic:مشير) Enlisted Private (Arabic:جندي) First Class Private (Arabic:جندي أول) Corporal (Arabic:عريف) Vice Sergeant (Arabic:وكيل رقيب) Sergeant...

See also

• King Khalid Military City
• United States Military Training Mission

Satellite photo of King Khalid Military City, taken June 30th, 2002 King Khalid Military City (KKMC) (Arabic: مدينة الملك خالد العسكرية; transliterated: Madynat al-Malik Khalid al-Askariyah) is a special city in northeastern Saudi Arabia, designed and built by the Middle East Division, a unit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers... The United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a Security Assistance Organization (SAO) which manages and is primarily funded by Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases between the United States Government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ...

Notes

1. ^ WorldPolicy.org - - Saudi arms reports
2. ^ GlobalSecurity.com - Weapons made in Saudi Arabia

References

• "Foreign Military Sales, Foreign Military Construction Sales and Military Assistance Facts as of September 2003," Published by Deputy for Operations and Administration, Business Operations/Comptroller, DSCA, Department of Defense

External links

• Ministry of Defense and Aviation (SA)

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