| القوات البحرية الملكية السعودية Royal Saudi Naval Forces | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1960 - Present |
| Country |
 Saudi Arabia |
| Allegiance | Saudi Arabia |
| Branch | Navy |
| Type | Naval Force |
| Role | Maritime warfare |
| Size | 50,000 (including 12,000 Marines) |
| Part of | Saudi Arabian Armed Forces |
| Nickname(s) | RSNF |
| Engagements |
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Naval Staff | Vice Admiral Dakheel-Allah Bin Ahmad Al-Wakadani |
| Insignia | |
| Ensign |
 |
| Jack |
 |
| Naval Bases Flag |
 |
The Royal Saudi Navy is the Naval force of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Royal Saudi Navy is sometimes referred to as the RSNF (Royal Saudi Naval Forces). The Navy has about 50,000 officers and men, including 12,000 Marines. The Naval headquarters is in Riyadh. The Western Fleet is based in the Red Sea with the main base at Jeddah. The Eastern Fleet is based in the Persian Gulf with the headquarters at Jubail. Other naval facilities were located at Yanbu, Dammam, and Ras al Mishab.
History[]
The Navy was founded in 1960 and began a significant expansion with US assistance in 1972 aiming to match the Imperial Iranian Navy. Following the Iranian Revolution a further expansion programme was initiated with French assistance, this was the Sawari programme. 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.[9]
Ships[]
The navy is a modern force with foreign built ships:
- French built frigates and support vessels
- US built corvettes and patrol boats
- British built Sandown class minehunters
HMS "Makkah"
King Abdul-Aziz Naval Base in Jubail, home to the eastern fleet of the Royal Saudi Navy
Frigates[]
- 3 Al Riyadh class frigates are modified versions of the La Fayette class frigate (built by DCN, Lorient), have a fully loaded displacement of 4,725 tons, are armed with eight MBDA Exocet MM40 Block II surface-to-surface missiles, two eight-cell Sylver vertical launch systems for the Eurosam (MBDA and Thales) Aster 15 surface-to-air missile, the main gun is the Oto Melara 76/62 Super Rapid, there are four 533mm aft torpedo tubes. The ships are armed with the DCNS F17 heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo.
The helicopter deck at the stern has a single landing spot for a medium size helicopter, such as the Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin or the larger AS 532 Cougar or NH90 helicopters.
- 4 Al Madinah class frigates ships based in the Red Sea, built in France (Arsenal de Marine, Lorient (French Government Dockyard) and CNIM, La Seyne) in mid 1980s, full load displacement of 2,610 tons,armed with 8 Otomat SSM, 1 8-cell Crotale SAM (26 missiles total), 1 100mm/44 DP, 2 40 mm AA, 4 torpedo tubes, aft helicopter deck and hangar; 1 Dauphin helicopter.
It was believed the Saudis intended to order two new British-built Type 45 Destroyers,[10] however production of the destroyers is now coming to an end and no order has been made. Another Destroyer that the Saudis are considering is the American built Arleigh Burke class destroyer, having been briefed by the US Navy in May, 2011 on the acquisition of two Destroyers in a package that also includes an unknown number of Littoral Combat Ships.[11]
- 812 Arriyad (2002)
- 514 Makkah (2003)
- ? (2005)
- 702 Al Madinah (1985)
- 704 Hofouf (1985)
- 706 Abha (1986)
- 708 Taif (1986)
Corvettes[]
- 4 Badr class corvettes built in the United States built 1981-83, based in the Persian Gulf, full load displacement of1,038 tons,armament of 8 Harpoon SSM, 1 76 mm OTO DP, 1 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, 2 20 mm, 1 81 mm mortar, 2 40 mm grenade launchers, 2 triple 12.75 inch torpedo tubes
- 612 Badr (1981)
- 614 Al-Yarmook (1982)
- 616 Hitteen (1982)
- 618 Tabuk (1983)
Patrol Boats[]
- 9 Al Sadiq class patrol boats built in the United States (Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin) 1972-1980, full load displacement of 495 tons, armed with4 Harpoon SSM, 1 76 mm OTO, 1 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, 2 20 mm, 1 81 mm mortar, 2 40 mm grenade launchers, 2 triple 12.75 inch torpedo tubes
- 511 As-Siddiq (الصّدّيق) (1980)
- 513 Al-Farouq (1981) (الفاروق)
- 515 Abdul-Aziz (1981)
- 517 Faisal (1981)
- 519 Khalid (1982)
- 521 Amr (1982)
- 523 Tariq (1982)
- 525 Ouqbah (1982) (عُقبه)
- 527 Abu Obaidah (1982) (أبو عُبيده)
- Possible sale of 30 Mark V Special Operations Craft[12]
Minesweepers[]
- 3 Sandown class minehunters (built by Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston), full load displacement of 480 tons:
- 420 Al Jawf (1991)
- 422 Shaqra (1993)
- 424 Al Kharj (1994)
Support Vessels[]
- 2 French built Boraida class small replishment oilers (modified Durance type replenishment ships built by CN la Ciotat, Marseilles), with a helicopter deck aft and hangars for 2 helicopters.
- 902 Boraida (1984)
- 904 Yunbou (1985)
Others[]
Many smaller patrol craft, 2 Danish built Royal yachts
- Prince Abdul Aziz (1983–84) - built by Helsingør Værft
- Al Yamana (Built for Iraq 1981; enter service in Saudi Arabia in 1988)
[]
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS532 SC Cougar |  FRA
|
ASW helicopter | 12 | ||
| AS565 SA Dauphin | FRA
|
SAR helicopter | 24 |
Future[]
Saudi Arabia wants to buy five German submarines for around €2.5 billion ($3.4 billion) and more than two dozen more in the future[13]
Bases[]
- Jeddah - Red Sea base home the navy's Western fleet for frigates and 2 missile boats, 1 replenishing ship and 1 patrol minesweeper; located north of the King Faisal Naval Base air station and south of the container port area
- Jubail - Persian Gulf base is home to the navy's Eastern fleet; smaller base home to corvettes, replenishing ship remaining missile boats and minesweepers
- Dammam - Persian Gulf home port for the Saudi Royal family's two Royal Yachts
Ranks[]
Officers
Missile patrol boat Oqbah (525)
- Ensign (Arabic:ملازم)
- Lieutenant Junior Grade (Arabic:ملازم أول)
RSNF gunboat "Faisal"
- Lieutenant (Arabic:نقيب)
- Lieutenant-Commander (Arabic:رائد)
- Commander (Arabic:مقدم)
- Captain (Arabic:عقيد)
- Commodore (Arabic:عميد)
- Rear-Admiral (Arabic:لواء)
- Vice-Admiral (Arabic:فريق)
- Admiral (Arabic:فريق أول)
Enlisted
- Private (Arabic:جندي)
- First Class Private (Arabic:جندي أول)
- Corporal (Arabic:عريف)
- Vice Sergeant (Arabic:وكيل رقيب)
- Sergeant (Arabic:رقيب)
- First Class Sergeant (Arabic:رقيب أول)
- Master Sergeant (Arabic:رئيس رقباء)
References[]
- ↑ Moqatel men Assahra - Khalid bin Sultan - مقاتل من الصحراء ,
- ↑ United Nations Operation In Somalia
- ↑ Moqatel men Assahra - Khalid bin Sultan مقاتل من الصحراء ,
- ↑ Arabs plan anti-piracy joint force
- ↑ Saudi Vessel Helps Thwart Attack On Turkish Ship
- ↑ Anti-pirates success story: Saudis chase off attackers of cargo ship
- ↑ http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ig6WH4DrES6KdGNhDQ_sDz2aJBxgD9BSNQO82
- ↑ http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009112055068
- ↑ 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
- ↑ The independent, UK seeks £2bn Saudi destroyer contract By Michael Harrison , 9 March 2007
- ↑ Defense News , Saudi Arabia Mulling BMD-Capable Destroyers By Christopher P. Cavas , 13 June 2011
- ↑ http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/146429/saudi-to-buy-30-patrol-boats-for-%241.2bn.html
- ↑ http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131103/DEFREG04/311030007/Report-Saudi-Arabia-Eyes-Buying-German-Submarines
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995
External links[]
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The original article can be found at Royal Saudi Navy and the edit history here.