Royal Saudi Air Force
- Thread starter SNIPER-15
- Start date
Bought 86 F-15C/D & 72 F-15S (F-15E variant). Less any attrition.
I'm not clear if by saying "User," you mean "has/is" used/using them, or if you mean "the only current country in the region to have them"?:unknown
If you were taking about the latter (have), the UAE and Oman have the them.
How about Saudi JDAM's for the F-15E's?
And for those who don't know I think the estimates for the F-15's in Saudi are somewhere around 175 F-15's. No Saudi F-15 was ever damaged or shot down. Correct me if I'm wrong.
The USA only sold them 158 (note: the sales are a matter of public record), & a few have crashed. The IISS lists 154 in service late last year -
66 F-15C & 18 F-15D - total 84 out of 86 delivered
70 F-15S out of 72 delivered.
Swerve, to be fair to eaf-f16, Jane's World Air Forces (11 Jan 2007 online update) estimates the following, with 170 eventually being delivered with 150 remaining operational.
F-15C: 67 delivered, 57 operational.
F-15D: 31 delivered, 25 operational.
F-15S: 72 delivered, 68 operational.
Its true, RSAF has never lost an F-15 in combat, where as Saudi Eagles have shot down 1 Iranian F-4E Phantom II (another unconfirmed) and 2 Iraqi Mirage F1s.
RSAF however damaging their own F-15s however is another matter!
I truly wish I could share some of the photos I have seen in my last 3 years here on DT, but some of the accidents on the ground begger belief. Yet being fair, RSAF's F-15s fly more flight hours than any other Eagle operator - the demands and strain on the ground crews must be immense. RSAF and Boeing do a hell of a job keeping the squadrons at such a high rate of readiness.
Perhaps maybe one major indicator of RSAF's high tempo in regards the F-15 is the powerplant replacement now undergoing for the F-15S fleet - delivered originally with the PW F100 engine, Saudi now aims to replace all these with the GE F110.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/11/the-2006-saudi-shopping-spree-pimp-my-f15s-ride/index.php#more
Fortunate enough to be at King Abdullah Aziz Air Base, Dhahran this weekend and see a few 92 Squadron F-15S up-close again - what a fantastic aircraft the Eagle is. Also lucky to get up close to some Tornado IDS from 11 Wing RSAF - which I hear maybe soon loosing their distinctive "Saudi-one" desert camo for a dull RAF GR.4-style gray. Shame IMHO.
Whilst on camo schemes for RSAF, my company-provided Eurofighter Typhoon 1:72 scale model has a "shadow canopy" painted on the underneath of the fuselage akin to the Canadian RCAF's F-18's and I believe other Hornet operators have followed suite. 'Maskirovka' in the air maybe??
The 'gizit' promotion model's weapons by the way - 3xAMRAAM, 1 Laser Target Pod, 2xPaveway-Type LGB, 3xLong Range Fuel Tanks, 2xALARM and 2xASRAAM. There is another model on the way...
F-15C: 67 delivered, 57 operational.
F-15D: 31 delivered, 25 operational.
F-15S: 72 delivered, 68 operational.
Its true, RSAF has never lost an F-15 in combat, where as Saudi Eagles have shot down 1 Iranian F-4E Phantom II (another unconfirmed) and 2 Iraqi Mirage F1s.
RSAF however damaging their own F-15s however is another matter!
I truly wish I could share some of the photos I have seen in my last 3 years here on DT, but some of the accidents on the ground begger belief. Yet being fair, RSAF's F-15s fly more flight hours than any other Eagle operator - the demands and strain on the ground crews must be immense. RSAF and Boeing do a hell of a job keeping the squadrons at such a high rate of readiness.
Perhaps maybe one major indicator of RSAF's high tempo in regards the F-15 is the powerplant replacement now undergoing for the F-15S fleet - delivered originally with the PW F100 engine, Saudi now aims to replace all these with the GE F110.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2006/11/the-2006-saudi-shopping-spree-pimp-my-f15s-ride/index.php#more
Fortunate enough to be at King Abdullah Aziz Air Base, Dhahran this weekend and see a few 92 Squadron F-15S up-close again - what a fantastic aircraft the Eagle is. Also lucky to get up close to some Tornado IDS from 11 Wing RSAF - which I hear maybe soon loosing their distinctive "Saudi-one" desert camo for a dull RAF GR.4-style gray. Shame IMHO.
Whilst on camo schemes for RSAF, my company-provided Eurofighter Typhoon 1:72 scale model has a "shadow canopy" painted on the underneath of the fuselage akin to the Canadian RCAF's F-18's and I believe other Hornet operators have followed suite. 'Maskirovka' in the air maybe??
The 'gizit' promotion model's weapons by the way - 3xAMRAAM, 1 Laser Target Pod, 2xPaveway-Type LGB, 3xLong Range Fuel Tanks, 2xALARM and 2xASRAAM. There is another model on the way...
Last edited:
Well I did say correct me If I'm wrong, I wasn't really sure about the numbers. And sorry I did mean lost or damaged in combat.
And as for the lost F-15's will the RSAF be getting replacements for those?
I would love to see Eurofighter Typhoons in desert camo and Saudi colors.Did they not do that color scheme for RSAF F-15's because the IAF already chose that color for the F-15I's or did they just not ask for it?
contedicavour
New Member
Very interesting, how did the Saudis end up shooting down an Iranian Phantom ?? It crossed into Saudi airspace by mistake ?
cheers
I'll try and find a better source for this, but Wiki's F-15 thread does skirt the subject very briefly - and actually claims two kills.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-15_Eagle
From what I have heard, at the time the Iranians and Saudis had been regularly intercepting one another over the Gulf. The Iran-Iraq conflict was in full swing and the "Tanker War" was just about to start. Saudi began to fear that Iran would target its tankers operating from the huge terminals near Jubail. It was thus only a matter of time before the situation escalated and shots were fired.
From all accounts, immediately after the incident, both sides went on alert and put everything they had available up in the air. For a short time it really did seem that the situation would spiral out of control and a mass air battle would take place over the Gulf. Fortunately, calmer heads prevailed in the end.
Seems the Typhoon contract is now under delay...
http://uk.reuters.com/article/paperTips/idUKPTIP9353220070625?rpc=401&
As the corruption allegations drag on and with a very large Saudi delegation at the Paris Air Show this week, could Rafale again be on the cards?
http://uk.reuters.com/article/paperTips/idUKPTIP9353220070625?rpc=401&
As the corruption allegations drag on and with a very large Saudi delegation at the Paris Air Show this week, could Rafale again be on the cards?
Didn't the Saudis sign the contract at the Paris Air Show?
If they had done, I'm sure it would have been announced, & it hasn't been.
contedicavour
New Member
Interestingly enough no Rafale orders have been announced during Bourget air show. Not even the one that had been pre-announced with Morocco for 14 Rafales. Dassault's streak of bad luck isn't over yet...
cheers
nfloorl: nfloorl: nfloorl: They said they "sold it" they just needed Morocco's approval, i don't even know what that means. Its like saying that guy outside my store bought some of my merchandise he just doesn't know it yet.nfloorl: nfloorl: nfloorl:
The problem with Rafale is that the Mirage2000/5 users find Rafale just a 20% (correct me if I am wrong) improvement over their Mirage2000/5. Perhaps that is why they dont look into Rafale's market. As for Morocco, they might probably be also looking into other markets; such as F-16s, MiG-29, MiG-35, Su-30 etc.
Not much of a big offer compared to French deal or compared to the aircrafts I stated above, but the Pakistani Prime Minister (Shaukat Aziz) had also offered JF-17 based on Moroccon preferences (western avionics) & without many conditions attached to it. Of course no visible sign of that deal materializing but considering Morocco is only lookin into 12 Rafales, JF-17s might be good option for them to replace other old aircrafts (Just my opinion).
Morocco's direct adversary might only be Spain which is going for Eurofighters. Considering this, Morocco may very well purchase Rafale.
Moroccos most likely adversary is Algeria, & always has been. Morocco isn't going to war with NATO, or any EU member, any time in the foreseeable future, so put any thoughts of a Morocco-Spain war out of your head. It won't happen, & if by some catastrophically bad Moroccan misjudgement it does, it will be very short & very one-sided, & a squadron or two of Rafales won't affect the outcome.
nfloorl: I don't know about in Morocco but here in Egypt(and I think the rest of the world) a squadron is 24 planes. Thats half a squadron right there. Spanish pilots (NATO standard training) flying a large number of Typhoon's against Moroccan pilots flying half a squadron of Rafael's. Do you see the problem?
Ever herd of something called "Deterrence". Cold war may have ended by its there. Its to avert the enemy's action by sending a msg that in case action is taken the enemy is likely to face loss/losses tht outweighs the potential gain (of the enemy). You dont need numbers for that, capability & credibility is enough. 24 Rafales with capability that could threaten even a single Naval Ship of Spain or a single sqnd of Spanish Air Force is enough to keep Spain at bey.
I dont want to avert the topic or start a flame wars (India vs Pakistan), but just for an example: PAF had only 12 F-104 Star Fighters in 1965 War, yet it was the most credible air deterrent. The mere presence of the air-craft kept IAF at bey & also averted an attack on Pakistan in the war without firing a single Missile.
I dont want to avert the topic or start a flame wars (India vs Pakistan), but just for an example: PAF had only 12 F-104 Star Fighters in 1965 War, yet it was the most credible air deterrent. The mere presence of the air-craft kept IAF at bey & also averted an attack on Pakistan in the war without firing a single Missile.
Deterrence against what? A possible new colonisation of Morocco by Spain?
If war brakes out (And Spain will not do the first steps) 24 Rafales are not going to hinder Spain in gaining total air superiority.
Anybody remember the problem with the parsley island some years ago...
If war brakes out (And Spain will not do the first steps) 24 Rafales are not going to hinder Spain in gaining total air superiority.
Anybody remember the problem with the parsley island some years ago...