Interview with RSNF Commander Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah,
Conducted by the Editorial Manager General S. Abou Ismail.

Modernizing the Naval Fleet

Saudi Navy is considered the most modern, and perhaps the largest, navy in the Middle East. The prime objective of the navy is to defend the long coasts of the kingdom and its islands in the Gulf, and the Red Sea. Saudi Navy also plays an important role in defending the precious assets of the kingdom and that of the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Q: What are the missions of the western fleet in Jeddah, and the Eastern Fleet in Jubail?
A: The mission of the two fleets is the same, which is defending Saudi interests in regional and international seas. The mission includes safeguarding Saudi oil installations and naval routes.

Q: Can naval forces play an operational role in the war against terrorism?
A: Our naval forces are playing an important role in fighting terrorism; this is done by safeguarding coastal oil installations, and patrolling the coasts of the kingdom.

Q: What type of warships is better fit to the nature of the missions of the Saudi fleet: frigates or corvettes?
A: Various types of warships are needed to accomplish our mission.

Q: What is the latest news concerning the modernizing process of the naval forces? Are you planning to replace “Medina” and “Badr” frigates with new warships?
A: The government is working on modernizing all warships. The process will enable our naval forces to carry out its mission.

Q: How do you evaluate the operations of coastal guard in defending the 2510 Kms of Saudi coasts?
A: Coastal and border guards are doing their best in preventing any acts of terrorism that might threaten the security of the Kingdom.

Q: What is your opinion of the Doha Maritime Defence Exhibition, (DIMDEX 2008)that convened mid March in Qatar?
A: DIMDEX 2008, was an exceptional event because it was the first naval show and meeting place in the Middle East. I consider the show as a well organized accomplishment to our neighbouring Qatar. The show was a success to Qatar and all Gulf States.

Defence Posture in UAE: The Geo-politics and the Great responsibility

UAE plays an important economic role in the strategic region of the Gulf. Dubai and Abu-Dhabi stand firmly alongside the main economic centres of the world. The speed of their growth far exceeded wildest expectations. UAE GDP in 2006 reached 129 Billion Dollars with a growth rate of 9%. The average per capita income reached $49,000 (third in the world). The region contains vast reserves of oil and natural gas (40 percent of the world reserves)

The geopolitical location of UAE dictated its commitment to an increasingly important defensive role in the region. The Emirates have many islands, and precious assets in its regional waters, that require an ever ready naval, land, and air forces to defend. The case of the three islands with Iran is still pending, but UAE is trying to regain these islands by peaceful means. UAE is going ahead in building an elite army. The new armament program includes acquiring:

• Pantsir-S air defence systems.
• Twenty HIMARS satellite guided rocket launchers.
• Thirty two FUCHS German made vehicles, capable of detecting NBC.
• Unspecified numbers of Finnish-made 8X8 wheeled vehicles.
• Nine anti-rockets Patriot units.
• Three Hawk-Eye Early warning radar planes.
• Four Dash-8-315.
• Twelve CH helicopters, eight AB 319 helicopters, and 10 BlackHawk-S 70A.

Land forces: consist of 11 Brigades (59,000) soldiers. The three armoured brigades have 390 new-generation Leclerc tanks, in addition to 80 Scorpion light tanks. These forces are equipped with 450 Russian-made BMP-3. The artillery brigade relies upon twenty AMX-MKF3, 76 G6, and 85 M-109, 155 mm canons in order to maintain a great deal of manoeuvrability. Anti tanks rocket units constitute an integral part of the war effort. These units have the most modern Vigilant, Tow, Milan, and Javelin rockets. Five batteries of improved Hawk, Rapier, Crottal air defence systems defend the land forces.

Naval Forces (2000 officers and sailors) have two Abu-Dhabi frigates (to be discarded later). The navy has 2 Type-332 minesweepers. The navy has two Lurssen frigates, in addition to three Kawkab guard ships, and six landing ships.

Air force (4500 men) rely on 80 F-16 Block 60 (Desert Falcon), and 63 Mirage 2000-9, which are considered 4th plus generation, multi-role planes. Mirage 2000-9 is capable of maintaining air superiority, and carrying out short and medium range missions using a family of precision rockets such as Black Chahine (made by MBDA).

European Defence Industry

Unifying European Security and foreign policies that originated from Maastricht Accord (1992), and launched later in 2004, made a tremendous change in the European Defence Industry. European Defence Agency, or EDA held the role of defending the European Union interests.

Distribution:

The most prominent of the European defence companies (70 in number) are distributed as follows:
1- France: Dassault Aviation, Thales, DCNS, NEXTER, and SAFRAN Group.
2- Germany: Rheinmetall, Diehl, KMW, MTU Aero Engines, Blohm & Voss, and Thyssen.
3- Britain: BAE Systems, VT Group, Rolls-Royce, Smiths Aerospace, and QintiQ.
4- Italy: Finmeccanica, Aermacchi, Iveco.
5- Spain: Instalaza, EADS Casa, Navantia, General Dynamics Santa Barbara.

Prominent Companies:

A- EADS: The most prominent European company in the field of aerospace defence systems. The company was formed as a result of merging many European companies. It is considered one of the main defence companies in the world. EADS builds Eurofighter Typhoon, provides maintenance for many American and European planes, and integrated solutions for central networks, and simulators.
B- THALES: This French company is one of the largest European companies in the field of electronics and communications.
C- SAGEM: This French company works in the field of security and defence electronics, especially aircraft and air navigation systems, Optical electronics, and Biometrics.
D- NEXTER: The new name of Giat Industries. This company builds wheeled vehicles (such as VBRC), and the automatic field canon Ceasar (155 mm). NEXTER builds also NARWHAL naval gun.
E- MBDA: A pioneer European company in producing a variety of anti-aircraft missiles,Anti ships,Anti armoured vehicles, and Cruise missiles. This company, which is a consortium of five companies ranks 2nd in the world in producing tactical missiles.
F- Other prominent companies: DCNS, Eurocopter, SAAB, FINMECCANICA, NAVANTIA, BAE Systems,

Combat Aircraft Survivability

Weakness spots in combat aircraft should be analysed before submitting some views pertaining to decrease the damage inflicted upon it as a result of carrying out its missions. The greatest danger to this aircraft being the shoulder launched air defence systems (MANPADS).

The most dangerous operational environment for a combat plane is an old, and new, Close Air Support, which means operating in very low altitudes, and at a close distance from targets. The new trend now is to keep the plane at a medium, and even a high, altitudes thanks to a variety of precise weapons. This means that the plane can stay outside the ranges of light air defence weapons.

A great danger to combat planes remains in the medium and heavy surface-to-air rockets. Survivability of the plane could be reached in a newly designed plane at the expense of its other features, however small: installation of new systems in the less vulnerable places in the body of the plane, and armouring.

Weak spots in combat planes: Combat aircraft has many weakness spots. These spots contain the main systems that keep the plane flying, and operating, with its useful weapons, provide the necessary air lift, and control the manoeuvrability of the plane and flight direction.

Body: The body of combat plane consist of a semi- crustacean hulk capable of sustaining the bluster of explosion. But a fire inside the plane could have a disastrous effect upon it.

Cockpit: The cockpit, the control system, and the pilot (the most precious ingredient) are found in the frontal part of the body of the plane. Most of the plane’s navigational and avionics systems are found in the spot near the cockpit. This spot is often considered the central defence system of the plane. The engines are the preferred target of the infrared- directed missiles. All modern combat planes use fly- by- wire systems excluding mechanical assistance. The system has the capability of reactivating itself mechanically in case one of its computers is hit.

Air Defence Systems in the Gulf

Air defence is considered strategic in countries like USA. It includes stopping ballistic missiles by means of the National Missile System, where the missile shield plays a very important strategic role. Air defence played a strategic role also in Egypt during its 1973 war with Israel, when it succeeded in defending all the precious assets in the country.

Air defence systems are strategic weapons having the important role of defending the strategic locations of the country, such as oil installations, cities, airbases, and international airports.

Gulf States have a wide variety of rockets, and air defence systems that can be described as new generation systems.

Bahrain: maintains 160 RBS 70 systems, 400 short range Stinger missiles, and 8 batteries of improved Hawk systems. Bahrain acquired recently an early warning radar AN-TPS-59 (V3).

Kuwait: has an improved Hawk system for medium range air defence, and 10 canon systems (radar directed), six units of patriot, and 50 shoulder launched rockets. Kuwait is modernizing its rocket air defence systems, in addition to buying new generation patriot rockets. The existing Sky Guard canon systems would be upgraded to Spada – 2000.

Sultanate of Oman: has series of integrated radar and communications networks including Martilo S-743 D that include 28 RAPIER rocket launchers.

Qatar: owns improved Hawk rockets, 6 ROLAND launchers, and one RAPIER battery (18 systems). Land forces are equipped with various types of shoulder launched rockets.

Saudi Arabia: has an independent air defence system consisting of 156 (35 mm) double guns, and 100 Fulcan, in addition to 18 canons mounted on tank chassis. Air defence forces have hundreds of shoulder launched rockets.

UAE: owns 5 improved Hawk Batteries, and a number of Rapier and Krotall RBS-70.

All defence systems were recently connected, as agreed in Cooperation Belt agreement of the Gulf States.

SOFEX 2008: Wider World Participation

Special Operation Forces Exhibition 2008 was held between 31 March and 3 April 2008 in Markeh airport near Amman, under the patronage of King Abdullah II. The opening ceremony included a military parade in which a number of parachutists, and helicopters, and armoured vehicles participated. The show included a hostage saving operation that took place in an airplane, where they were held captives.

The show is an occasion in which manufacturing companies working in the field of special operations can meet.

Participants and Exhibits: The number of participating companies increased tremendously for this year. The most prominent companies were:

1. Jordan: 71 companies participated, especially King Abdullah for Design and Development Bureau.(KADDB)
2. United States: participated with 63 companies: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumann, Raytheon, AM General, Oshkosh, Harris, Datron.
3. Britain: participated with 35 companies: BAE systems, General Dynamics, Motorola,
4. Turkey: participated with 24 companies: Rocketsan, Aselsan, Havelsan, STM.
5. Russia: participated with 12 companies: Almaz Anty, Bazalt, Rosoboronexport,
6. UAE: participated with 12 companies: Caracal, a light weapons manufacturing company.
7. France: 11 companies participated; Sagem, Eurocopter, DGA.
8. Germany: participated with 8 companies: Rheinmetall, Karcher.

Exhibits:

Air equipment and systems, including advanced navigational system, helicopters, military planes, UAVs, armoured vehicles, coast guards boats, internal security forces’ and anti-riot equipment.

Agreements:

Many agreements were signed in the context of the show, such as the one concluded between Jordanian Armed Forces and KADDB with a face value of $70 Million. KADDB signed a partnership with an American, and Belgian, companies enabling the KADDB to produce ammunitions of various calibres.

Exhibitors’ News:

SAAB: displayed air defence systems, and high technology camouflage equipment, and training systems in its three suites.
Rosoboronexports: displayed military equipment such as BTR 90 vehicles.
BAE Systems: displayed UUV Talisman.
Crypto AG: displayed its advanced encrypting multi channel system.

DIMDEX 2008: Powerful Start with a Lot of War Ships

The first session of the Doha International Military Defence Exhibition (DIMDEX), which is considered the first specialized exhibition in systems, defence equipment, and military ships in the Middle East, was held in Doha in 17 March, 2008. The fact that most of the states in the region are coastal countries necessitated such an exhibition. Most of the countries in the region are planning to buy this kind of equipment.

Representatives of 80 companies from 14 countries participated in the show. Officials from 48 countries, and 58 official delegations were present among whom were ministers, and Chiefs of Staff

Prominent Exhibitors:

USA: Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, L-33 Communications.
Germany: Aeromaritime, Atlas Electronic, EADS, MTU, Rohde & Schwarz, Diehl.
France: DCNS, Thales, MBDA, DCI, IX SEA, CMN.
Italy: OTO Melara. Sweden: SAAB. Australia: AUSTAL Ship Building. Holland: DAMEN Ship Building. UAE: Abu Dhabi Ship Building.

Exhibited in the show were fifteen military ships, and a submarine, from countries like France, India, Italy, Britain, Pakistan, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and USA.

Thales exhibited a set of systems and products used in Above Water Ships, and in Under Water Ships. MBDA exhibited air and sea defence EXOCET, and MICA-VL. SAAB participated with a series of naval systems, such as the NAVAL C41 advanced command and control CMS 9LV MK4.

DCNS exhibited advanced military ships systems that could be integrated with other naval forces in the world. Lockheed Martin exhibited in DIMDEX a series of naval surveillance, safety, and security systems. Raytheon concentrated on underwater defence equipment, and anti- submarine warfare, such as Sonar AN/SQQ-32. Abu Dhabi Ship Building exhibited a set of ships and boats, such as Mother-Daughter boat. BAE Systems exhibited UXV Mother Ship.

With the great continuing increases in the price of oil, it is expected that spending on acquiring naval weapons and equipment would reach $23 Billion over a period of twenty years. As a result the countries of this region are expected to own 300 new ships complete with systems and helicopters.