Since the turn of the 21st century, the RSNF has undergone extensive efforts to expand and modernize its fleet, enhance its operational capabilities, and professionalize its personnel.
History
The navy was founded in 1960 and began a significant expansion with United States assistance in 1972, with the aim to match the Imperial Iranian Navy. Following the Iranian Revolution a further expansion programme, Sawari, was initiated with French assistance. Further vessels were purchased from Britain and France in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1980, U.S. defense contractor Science Applications International Corporation began work with the Royal Saudi Navy to design and integrate the country's own command, control, and communications (C3) centers.
HMS Al Siddiq (511) HMS Al Farouq (513) HMS Abdul Aziz (515) HMS Faisal (517) HMS Khalid (519) HMS Amr (521) HMS Tariq (523) HMS Ouqbah (525) HMS Abu Obaidah (527)
495 tons
Heavily armed fast attack platforms designed for rapid anti-surface warfare strikes using Harpoon missiles.
The Royal Saudi Navy maintains two, 1,500-man marine brigades consisting of three battalions each. The brigades are assigned to the Western Fleet headquartered in Jeddah and the Eastern Fleet headquartered in Jubail. The brigades are equipped with 500 Pegaso BMR AFVs and HMMWVs.[citation needed]
Future
In 2016, Germany was slated to supply 48 patrol boats to Saudi Arabia within the framework of its border security project, a cost of 1.5billion euros was noted for this deal. Lürssen had started building 15 patrol vessels for the project's first phase by 2016. The patrol boats to be procured under the current contract come in two forms. The first were to be the 'TNC 35' models, which are 35-meter-long and are propelled by two diesel engines with a combined output of 7,800 kilowatts. The boat can reach speeds of up to 40 knots. The second models, 'FPB 38' are 38-meter-long and can reach speeds of up to 31 knots. As of November 2016 1 TNC 35 has been delivered to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia had wanted in 2013 to purchase five German submarines for around €2.5 billion ($3.4 billion) and more than two dozen more in the future.[needs update]
In December 2014, the U.S. awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for a Foreign Military Sale of the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System to Saudi Arabia. With no surface ships compatible with the Mk 41 and no plans to acquire a land-based missile defense system, this indicated[to whom?] the country was close to purchasing a VLS-equipped surface combatant. Saudi Arabia has evaluated the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the Multi-mission Combat Ship version of the Freedom-class littoral combat ship able to carry a VLS. In October 2015, the US Congress was informed of a possible sale of Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) Ships, a variant of the LCS.
In July 2018 it was announced that Navantia had signed an agreement with the Royal Saudi Navy for the production of 5 Avante 2000 Corvettes with the last to be delivered by 2022 at a cost of approximately 2 billion Euros.
Saudi Arabia ordered three more Avante 2200 corvettes from Navantia in 2024.
Bases
King Abdulaziz Naval Base in Jubail, home to the eastern fleet of the Royal Saudi Navy
Jeddah (King Faisal Naval Base) – Red Sea base home to the navy's Western fleet for frigates and 2 missile boats, 1 replenishing ship and 1 patrol minesweeper with an air station located north of the base; located south of the Jeddah Islamic Port container area
Jubail (King Abdulaziz Naval Base) – Persian Gulf base is home to the navy's Eastern fleet; smaller base home to corvettes, replenishing ship remaining missile boats and minesweepers
Dammam (Ras Al-Ghar military port) – Persian Gulf home port for the Saudi Royal family's two Royal Yachts
On 30 January 2017 Al-Madinah was attacked by Houthi rebels using a suicide boat, killing 2 sailors and wounding 3 others. The attack took place near the port city of Al Hudaydah, 150 kilometers southwest of the Yemeni capital Sana'a.
References
↑George Snavely Rentz (1948). The Beginnings of Unitarian Empire in Arabia. University of California, Berkeley. p.213.
↑Dr. J. Robert Beyster with Peter Economy, The SAIC Solution: How We Built an $8 Billion Employee-Owned Technology Company, John Wiley & Sons (2007) p. 49
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Armed Forces
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