Airmed Forces o Saudi Arabie

The **Saudi Arabian Airmed Forces** (, **SAAF**) kent as **Ryal Saudi Airmed Forces** forby, are the militar forces o the Kinrick o Saudi Arabie. Thay include the General Staff o the five services responsible for the defence (in order o precedence) the Airmy, the Navy, the Air Forces, the Air Defense, an the Missiles Force, unner the Meenister o Defense an Aviation (MODA). The Saudi Arabian Naitional Gaird (SANG) falls unner the admeenistrative control o the Meenistry o National Gaird, instead o the MODA, as the Ryal Gaird an Border Gaird forces an aw. In addition, the Arabian Kinrick maintains lairge paramilitary forces unner the control of the Meenistry o Interior. Thare is GIP which is the general militar intelligence service an aw.

The **SAAF** are ane o the best-fundit defence forces in the warld. Saudi Arabie haes the warld's third lairgest defence budget.

International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates in 2017 leetit a tot o 127,000 personnel (75,000 RSLF; 13,500 Navy; 20,000 Air Force; 16,000 Air Defence; an Strategic Missile Forces 2,500). The RSLF figure is quite possibly inflatit. The Naitional Gaird, wi 100,000 personnel, mony tribal an anelie-available-on-callup, and 24,500 paramilitar personnel roond oot the figures. The IISS Military Balance leets reserve personnel when reliable figures are available, but did nae leet ony reserve personnel for Saudi Arabie.

## History
The first steps towards biggin an institutionalised airmed force for Saudi Arabie bygane in the 1940s, when Saudi regulars nummered aiblins 1,000–1,500, Gaub saying that officers maistly came frae the Ottoman troops who haed served the Sharif o Mecca afore his being expelled in 1924. A Meenistry o Defence wis creatit in 1944; a militar schuil foondit in Taif, and the Unitit Kinrick began efforts tae try tae build a professional force. Efter the failure of this UK programme, a subsequent U.S. programme which ran frae 1951 failed tae reach its objective an aw (the creaution for three tae five Regimental Combat Teams. Growth o the airmed forces wis slow, tae some 7,500–10,000 by 1953, and that growth halted towards the end of the 1950s because o poleetical factors (the Free Officers in Egyp; twa plots bi senior officers; an internal Saudi power struggles).

## References

Cheenae, Roushie, Saudi Arabie Boosted Defense Maist as U.S. Cut http://bloom.bg/1OqdP38

## Further reading
*"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
*"'Chief dismissed in reshuffle,' – Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Mohammed Saleh Al-Hammad replaced by Saleh Ibn Ali Al-Mohaya," *Jane's Defence Weekly*, 9 October 1996, p.&nbsp;23
*C. A. Woodson, "Saudi Arabian Force Structure Development in a Post Gulf War World", Foreign Military Studies Office, June 1998, https://web.archive.org/web/20120306115652/http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/

## Freemit airtins
*Meenistry o Defence and Aviation , official website
*Ryal Saudi Laund Forces, offeecial wabsteid
*Saudi Arabian National Guard, offeecial wabsteid
*Strategic Missiles Force , offeecial website
*General Intelligence Presidency, offeecial wabsteid
*http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/message.aspx?boardid=40&messageid=173&page=1#startofcomments  The Ryal Saudi Air Force – A Paper Tiger, Minus the Tiger