Royal Saudi Naval Forces

Founded 1960: 13,500 personal, 7 frigates, 9 corvettes, 39 OPVs, 3 minehunters, 2 support ships

The Saudi Navy: History and Organization

1960: Creation of the Navy

The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), later simplified as “Royal Saudi Navy” is the maritime arm of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, under the Saudi Arabia MoD. Its missions and protecting Saudi territorial waters and ensure regional freedom of navigation, protecting commercial sea routes, notably through multinational naval coalitions.

Given the country’s geographical realities, it is split between the Eastern Fleet on the Persian Gulf (King Abdulaziz Naval Base, Jubail) and the Western Fleet based in the Red Sea (King Faisal Naval Base, Jeddah). Each fleet is independent, offering a full sea and air defence spectrum from Frigates to OPVs, completed with support ships as well as administrative and technical support and its own naval aviation arms, marines, specops, and special security. With a generous budget, and despite most beginnings in 1960, the Saudi Navy since the turn of the 21st century, had been constantly modernized and expanded to enhanced its operational capabilities, and perfect its interoperability with other navies, it is today a major regional naval power.

Map of Arabia showing the geographic features and ancient pre-islamic tribes.

Early History

The Saudi was founded in 1960. But there always had been a naval presence in the Red sea. The Rashidun Caliphate for example had a navy, already tasked or protecting trade against piracy and pilgrims on their way to Mecca and Medina.
Some ports like Jeddah were developed under the Ottoman era, which wanted a presence for its fleet in the red sea and persian gulf. Following the arab revolt in WWI, partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, the British and French reneged on promises to Hussein to support a pan-Arab state but he was acknowledged as King of the Hejaz. However Britain later shifted support to the Al Saud.

Next, the Unification of Saudi Arabia was mostly a land and air affair, with the country economically struggling under Abdulaziz in the late interwar, but everything changed when commercial volumes of oil were discovered in 1938 in the Al-Hasa region, along the Persian Gulf coast. The country was courted by the allies for this strategic asset and under US patronage in 1945 an agreement was struck between Pdt. Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz on USS Quincy (oil vs military protection).
From 1953 King Saud succeeded his father at the helm, and under his rule the Navy was created.

Conway’s take on the Saudi Arabian Navy

Of all the Gulf States the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 1s certainly the largest and most powerful with a coastline bordering both the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. With the 1355-mile coastline, much of which is unpopulated, divided between two seas, Saudi Arabia has a considerable problem in maintaining adequate surveillance over such an area, as well as presenting a cohesive naval presence to meet a threat in any one particular area. And in addition she formed the Gulf Cooperation Council with the region’s smaller states in 1981. The Kingdom has a substantial merchant fleet including several modern roll-on/roll-off vessels, containerships, and passenger vessels.
Until the 1990s the Royal Saudi Navy (founded with one ship in 1960) was little more than a token force of three MTBs of German origin and small patrol boats. In 1991 Saudi Arabia announced a record budget of 143 billion rials ($38.1bn), 36 per cent going to defence.

A US expansion programme undertaken by the Saudis was planned as a ten year project (1972-82) and probably undertaken to match the Iranian Navy. This programme included: four MSC 322 type coastal minesweepers, four Badr class missile corvettes and nine Al Siddig class missile fast attack craft.
The Navy began a significant expansion with United States assistance from 1972 to match the Imperial Iranian Navy but after the Iranian Revolution a further expansion programme called “Sawari” was initiated with French assistance. In 1980, U.S. defense contractor Science Applications International Corporation started working with Royal Saudi Navy to design and integrate potent command, control and communications (C3) centers across the country to manage the two fleets.

The 1980 Sawari programme involving the French naval industry concerned all three branches (land, air and sea). With these two programmes completed, the Saudis earned a well-balanced and medium-sized fleet. Ships ordered in France under the “Sawari” programme included four helicopter-carrying frigates and two large underway fleet replenishment, ships similar to the French Durance class. In addition twenty-four helicopters were ordered. Twenty armed with anti-ship missiles and four for SAR.

These expansion programmes, initiated even before a May 1981 announcement that defence spending would be at a record level, came about because of Saudi unease at the emergence of Iraq as a major military force in the region. This unease was increased by the spread of Soviet influence, the religious revolution in Iran and the bitter Iran-Iraq war.

The Saudi Government envisaged problems with the upkeep of equipment from difference sources (US and France) and so US ships were provided on the basis of a ten year naval co-operation agreement which included an extensive training programme; a similar ‘total package’ agreement had been concluded with France.
In 1979-80 the Saudi Navy still had fewer than 2000 men and little more than 1000t of fighting vessels. By 1982 this had gone to 3500 volunteer officers and ratings and by 1985 personnel strength had grown to 4500, in 1995 to 11,400 officers and men including 1200 marines, and in 1992 10,800 officers and men (including 1200 marines).
Expansion plans still very much underway with six British Sandown class minehunters being built as the Al Jawf class, and eventually three 3800t modified French La Fayette class frigates, together with up to eight submarines. Six submarines were initially ordered in a French yard and the deal precised Saudi personnel would be trained at Lorient using the Daphne class submarine Flore. Orders was planned for the mid-1990s and it was reported that up to two midget submarines of 225t and six smaller KSS-1 Tolgorae boats of 150/175t would be acquired from South Korea but it was all cancelled. The question of submarines returned recently. Saudi Arabia wanted to buy five German submarines for around €2.5 billion ($3.4 billion) and more than two dozen more in the future by 2024.

Saudi personnel were still familiarising themselves with some of the new equipment acquired by the navy in the 1980s by 1995. Interestingly the Saudi Navy had little involvement in the international naval activities in the Gulf in 1990-91. Saudi naval aviation currently has at its disposal twenty-three Aerospatiale SA 365F Dauphin 2 type helicopters, six Aérospatiale SA 322/BI transport helicopters and six US Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft with plans to acquire six more P-3Cs. See below to see what became the Saudi Naval Air Branch. Although the Saudi Navy is relatively untested in combat, On 30 January 2017 Al-Madinah was attacked by Houthi rebels using a suicide boat. They killed 2 sailors and wounded 3 others near the port city of Al Hudaydah, 150 km southwest of the Yemeni capital Sana’a. This was a wake up call for the naval staff to further train its personal to asymetric warfare.

Organization

Royal Saudi Naval Forces, or RSNF) is the naval branch of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. It is tasked with protecting the kingdom’s maritime interests, securing its territorial waters, and ensuring the safety of its critical sea routes, such as those near the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. It was founded in 1960 and its headquarters are now in Riyadh as administrative center. The main naval bases are at Jiddah and Jubail with minor ones at Yanbu and on the Gulf at Ras Tannurah, Dammam and Ras al-Mishab.

Main Naval Bases:

King Abdulaziz Naval Base

In Jubail (Eastern Fleet, Arabian Gulf). Thus main Persian Gulf base and home of the Eastern fleet is a smaller base than Kaing Faisal’s, with a fleet of corvettes, one replenishing ship and remaining missile boats and minesweepers.

King Faisal Naval Base

In Jeddah (Western Fleet, Red Sea). Home for the Western fleet for frigates with missile boats, one replenishing ship and one patrol minesweeper, located north of the King Faisal Naval Base air station, south of the container port area.

Dammam Naval Base

Aslo known as the Ras Al-Ghar military port, Persian Gulf home port for the Saudi Royal family’s two Royal Yachts.

Tasks:

The Navy is tasked with the following:
-Maritime Defense: Protects Saudi territorial waters and sea lanes.
-Securing Energy Exports: Safeguards oil and gas shipments passing through the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea.
-Counter-piracy Operations: Plays a role in combating piracy, especially in regions near the Gulf of Aden.
-Supporting Coalitions: Contributes to joint maritime operations with allied nations, particularly in the Gulf and Arabian Sea.
The RSNF is a regional blue water navy, operating a mix of capable surface vessels and also submarines, patrol boats and amphibious ships. A full spectrum including Al Riyadh-class frigates (Mod. La Fayette-class), Avante 2200 corvettes, Patrol Boats and fast attack craft as well as minesweepers and support Vessels for logistics and amphibious operations, advanced anti-ship and air defense systems, and a growing naval aviation wing with helicopters like the MH-60R Seahawk.

Modernization and Interactions:

The Saudi Arabian Navy also called for modernization Programs with the Saudi Naval Expansion Program II (SNEP II) to upgrade the fleet with modern frigate as well as corvettes, and support ships as well as acquisition of advanced systems from the US, France, Spain. The RSNF also engages in regular joint exercises with the United States, UK and regional partners such as the Bahrain and the UAE. The were also training agreements with Western countries ensure the RSNF remains well-prepared for modern naval warfare. With Saudi Arabia being a leading oil exporter, the RSNF plays a critical role in ensuring the safe transit of energy resources. Its presence in key waterways like the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb is vital for regional stability.

The Saudi Naval Air Force

The Saudi Marines

Saudi HHMV, UNOSOM II Mogadishu, Public Domain (NARA).
The Royal Saudi Navy is quite string and capable, organized and trained, at least for the cadree, along USMC sta,dards. Two 10,000-man marine brigades consists of three battalions each, assigned respectively to the Western Fleet (Jeddah) and Eastern Fleet (Jubail) as areas of responsibility. The brigades are equipped with 440 Spanish built Pegaso BMR AFVs and c500 US HMMWVs. The Pegaso BMR, 140 were Spanish built and provided to the Navy in 1983 as armoured APCs, plus 300 locally produced and they saw action in Yemen. Read more on these assets.

The Saudi Navy as of 1991

Badr, Al Yarmook, Hitteen, Tabuk
The four Badr-class corvettes built in the United States in 1981–83 and are based in the Persian Gulf (east fleet). These ships ordered on 30 August 1977 from Tacoma Boatbuilding, Tacoma, USA belong to the light frigate/corvette type. Named after early Islamic victories. They are powerfully armed for their size, and equipped with modern electronic gear. Fitted with fin stabilisers, the ships were completed well behind schedule and are considered to be overweight by over 25 per cent.

Specs:
Full load displacement is 1,038 tons, with an armament of eight Harpoon SSM and a 76 mm OTO Melara DP gun, plus a 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, two 20 mm guns and a 81 mm mortar, two 40 mm grenade launchers and two triple 12.75 inch torpedo tubes with Mark 46 torpeodes to deal with potential Iranian subs.

As-Siddiq, Al-Farouq, Abdul-Aziz, Faisal, Khalid, Amr, Tariq, Ouqbah, Abu Obaidah

In grand total, some twenty four Al Sadiq-class patrol boats were built in the United States (by Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay in Wisconsin) between 1972 and 1980, they formed the bedrock of Sausi activities
Specs:
Full load displacement of 495 tons, armed with four Harpoon SSM, one 76 mm OTO gun, one 20 mm Phalanx CIWS, two 20 mm guns, one 81 mm mortar, two 40 mm grenade launchers, two triple 12.75 inch torpedo tubes.

DHEBA class (US LCM(6) type) landing craft Class: Al Leeth (224), Al Quonfetha (226), Hagil, Dheba (220), Unilus (222), 212, 214, 216, 218 These eight US LCM(6) type were transferred in two batches in 1977. Numbered boats have been stricken.

AL QIAQ class (US LCU 1646) urility landing craft Class: Al Qiag (ex-SA 310), As Sulayel (ex-SA 311), Al Ula (ex-SA 312), Afif (ex-SA 313), Nos 212, 214, 216, 218 Belong to the US LCU 1646 type. Built by Newport SY, Newport, USA, in 1975 76. Temporary US designations SA 310-313 (SA = Saudi Arabia). Note only even pennant numbers. Extant 1991.

Class: Al Siddig (511, ex-PGG1, 15.12.80), Al Faroug (513, ex-PGG2, 22.6.81), Abdul Aziz (515, ex-PGG3, 23.11.81), Faisal (517, ex-PGG4, 23.11.81), Khalid (519, ex-PGGS5, 11.1.82), Amur (521, ex-PGG6, 21.6.82), Tariq (523, ex-PGG7, 16.8.82), Ogbah (525, ex-PGG8, 18.10.82), Abu Obaidah (527, ex-PGG9, 6.12.82)
Ordered on 16 February 1972 from Peterson Builders, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, USA. They have the same machinery as the larger Badr class Corvettes and the same armament (minus four Harpoon SSMs and ASW). Heavily overweight, displacing 495t full load. Very powerful vessels for their size. Named after members of the royal family. Note lower speed on the diesels compared with the larger Badr class. Completed in 1980-82; the first boat was delivered on 8 December 1980 last in November 1982. All extant 1991.

Specs:
Displacement: 425t standard; 495t full load
Dimensions: 190ft 4in 0a x 26ft 6in x 6ft 5in 58.02m x 8.08m x 1.95m
Machinery: 2-shaft CODOG: 1 GEM LM 2500 gas turbine, 6,500shp = 38kts, plus 2 MTU diesels, 3000bhp = 18kts
Armament: 4 Harpoon SSM (2×2), 1-76mm/62 OTO Melara, 2-20mm (2×1), 1 Vulcan-Phalanx CIWS (20mm), 1-81mm mortar, 2-40mm Army grenade launchers
Electronics: Radar SPS 55, Mk 92 FCS
Complement: 35

Class: Dammam, Khabar, Maccah
German Jaguar class (Type 141) ordered in 1968 and built by Liirssen, Vegesack in 1968-69. All three were refitted during 1976-77. Currently used for training. Extant 1991. Specs as Jaguar class.

Class: Al Fouf (351), Turaif (352), Hail (353), Najran (354)
our fast patrol] craft ordered on 18 October 1987 from Blohm & Voss and completed in pairs on 15 June and 20 August 1989 respectively. Steel hull and light alloy superstructure. Operated by Coast Guard. Extant 1991.
Specs:
Displacement: 210t full load
Dimensions: 126ft 8in x 26ft 3in x 6ft 3in 38.6m x 8.0m x 1.9m
Machinery: 3 shafts, 3 MTU 16V538 TB93 diesels, 11,265bhp = 38kts. Range 1700nm at 15kts
Armament: 2x 20mm Oerlikon (2 x 1), 2-12.7mm (2 x 1)
Complement: 20

Class: Al Riyadh, Zulrab
Two small FACs built by Simoneau Marine in 1992. Operated by Coast Guard. Extant 1991.
Specs:
Displacement: 53t standard
Dimensions: 73ft 10in x 18ft 4in x 5ft 7in 22.5m x 5.6m x 1.7m
Machinery: 2 shafts, 2 MTU diesels, 2920bhp = 35kts
Armament: 2 Aérospatiale AS-15TT SSM (2×1), 2-12.7mm (2×1)

Class: Adadniyah (412, ex-MSC 322), Al Quysymah (414, ex-MSC 323), Al Wadeeah (416, ex-MSC 324), Saftva (418, ex-MSC 325)
Ordered 30 September 1975 from Peterson Builders, Wisconsin. Laid down 1976-77, launched 1976-77 and delivered in 1978-79. Built in USA under International Logistics Programme. Note only even pennant numbers. Extant 1991.

Class: Al Fawf (420, ex-Inverness, 12.12.91), Shagra (422, 7.2.93), Al Kharj (424,1994), Onaizah (426), Al Rass (428), Al Bahan (430).

3 Sandown-class minehunters (built by Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston), full load displacement of 480 tons. Single role minehunters. Six ships of the British Sandown class were ordered on 3 December 1988 to be built by Vosper Thornycroft at Woolston and Portsmouth. First vessel, taken from the Royal Navy building line, delivered 1991, the second being launched on 15 May 1991 and delivered 1993. Option for the last three has yet to be taken up. GRP construction. Differ from RN version in having the twin 35mm mount raised one-half deck. Fitted with two Schottel bow thrusters for improved manoeuvrability. Silent electric drive gives speed of 6kts. Carry two PAP 104 Mk 5 mine disposal ROVs.
Specs:
Displacement: 450t standard; 480t full load
Dimensions: 172ft 9in x 34 ft Sin x 6ft llin 52.7m x 10.5m x 2.1m
Machinery: 2 Voith-Schneider cycloidal propellers, 2 Paxman 6RP200E diesels, 1500bhp = 13kts. Range 3000nm at 12kts
Armament: 2-35mm/85 Emerson Emerlec (1 x 2), 2 Loral Hycor SRBOC Mk36 Mod 1 decoys
Sensors: Radar Kelvin Hughes 1007; fire control Contraves TMEO optronic director; sonar Plessey Nautis M
Complement: 34 (7 officers)

–One ex-USCG 95ft large patrol craft: Riyadh (former US contract designation 95CGMDASQ) launched in 1959 as one of the US CG ‘Cape’ type was built and transferred under MDAP from the USA in 1960. Steel hulled. Belongs to the Coast Guard. Built by US Coast Guard Yard, Curtis, Maryland, USA. Stricken 1990.
–Sixteen SRN-6 type hovercraft. Eight acquired from the British Hovercraft Corporation Ltd February-December 1970, eight more delivered 1981-83; 10t, 58kts, 1050bhp, I-7.62mm MG. Seven extant 1995.
-There were also sixty-eight small patrol boats of under 10m length.
-Two large patrol craft: Badr and Yarmouk built by Bayerische Schiffsbau in the early 1970s: 65t full load, 2 GM diesels = 25kts, 2-12.7mm. Extant 1995.
-Twelve Rapier class (Nos 127-138), launched 1976-77 by Halter Marine, New Orleans; 24t, 28kts, 1300bhp, 2-7.62mm MG. Extant 1995.
-Twenty-five Scorpion class (Nos 140-164), launched 1979-81 by Bayerische Schiffsbaugesellschaft (twenty) and Arminiuswerft, Bodenwerder (five); 33t, 25kts, 1300bhp. Extant 1991.
-Two CGV-26 Explorer type large patrol craft: Al Fubatel and Salwa built by Abeking and Rasmussen, completed April 1987: 95t full load, 85ft 1lin x 19ft x 6ft 9in, 26.2m x 5.8m x 2.1m, 2 MTU diesels, 5800bhp = 35kts, 1-20mm Oecerlikon GAM-BO1, 2 12.7mm. Operated by Coast Guard. Extant 1995.
-Seventeen Halter type coastal patrol craft delivered by Halter Marine in 1991-92; 56t full load, 2 Detroit diesels, 1380bhp = 28kts, 2-12.7mm MG, 2 7.62mm MG. Extant 1991
-Forty Simoneau 51 type inshore patrol craft built by Simoneau Marine, delivered in 1989 92; 22t full load, 2 diesels, 2400bhp = 33kts, 1 20mm GIAT, 2 7.62mm MG. Mostly used by naval commandos. Extant 1991
-Eight SRN6 Mod 8 hovercraft acquired in mid-1980s from British Hovercraft Corp; 17t normal, 55kts, military lift 30 troops, 1-7.62mm MG. Extant 1991
-Sixteen Slingsby SAH 2200 hovercraft supplied from UK in 1990. There are plans for thirty of such craft; 10.6m, 40kts, military lift 24 troops, 1— 7.62mm MG. Extant 1995.
-One Pegasus type hydrofoil delivered in 1985 by Boeing, Seattle; 115t full load, 27.4m, 2 gas turbines, 8660shp = 46kts, 2 20mm GE Sea Vulcan (Gatling). Mostly used as escort and tender to the Royal Yacht.

Boraida, Yunbou

2 French built Boraida-class replenishment oiler (modified Durance-class replenishment ships built by CN La Ciotat, with a helicopter deck aft and hangars for 2 helicopters.

The Modern Saudi Navy

Al Riyadh, Makkah, Dammam

Al Riyadh-class frigates are modified versions of the La Fayette-class frigate (built by DCN, Lorient).[16] Each has a fully loaded displacement of 4,725 tons, and is armed with eight MBDA Exocet MM40 Block II surface-to-surface missiles (SSM), two eight-cell Sylver vertical launch systems for the Eurosam (MBDA and Thales) Aster 15 surface-to-air missile (SAM), an Oto Melara 76 mm/62 Super Rapid gun, and four 533 mm 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.[16]

Al Madinah, Hofouf, Abha, Taif

Four ships, based in the Red Sea, built in France at Lorient (CNIM, La Seyne) in the mid-1980s.

Specs:
Full load displacement: 2,610 tons
Armament: Eight Otomat surface-to-surface missiles, one 8-cell Crotale surface-to-air missile launcher (26 missiles total), one 100 mm/44 dual-purpose gun, two 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, four torpedo tubes, an aft helicopter deck and hangar: One Dauphin helicopter.

Al Jubail, Al Diriyah, Hail, Jazan, Unaizah

5 Avante-class corvettes ordered by Royal Saudi Navy in 2018. The corvettes have been built by Spanish company Navantia.

Future Upgrades

The Saudis intended to order two new British-built Type 45 destroyers,[17] however production of the destroyers came to an end with no order 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.[18]

Read More/Src

Links

on en.wikipedia.org
Global Security Watch—Saudi Arabia Couverture Matthew Gray
on web.archive.org mod.gov.sa
on my.gov.sa/
on stimson.org/
gulfstateanalytics.com/
on breakingdefense.com/
web.archive.org/ books.google.comid=5Ww68vqzQhoC&pg=PA434&dq=Royal+Saudi+Navy+founded&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwji_ICg34vVAhUKPo8KHS1rCsUQ6AEILDAC#v=onepage&q=Royal%20Saudi%20Navy%20founded&f=false
web.archive.org naval-technology.com/
on arabianbusiness.com/
web.archive.org/ defpost.com/navantia
navalnews.com avante 2200 corvette for royal saudi navy
on defense-aerospace.com
arabnews.com/
on defensenews.com/
dsca.mil/ major-arms-sales kingdom-saudi-arabia
loc.gov/ frdcstdy.saudiarabiacount00met
on washingtonpost.com
on armyrecognition.com/
web.archive.org/ independent.co.uk/

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