The Northrop F-5 Enthusiast Page - Home
- لقوات
الجوية الملكية
السعودية
- Al
Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakhiah as Sa'udiya
- Royal
Saudi Air Force
Credit: Roundesl of the world
Latest update 15-04-21
Information
about the Saudi Arabian Air Force are scarce due to the
restrictive informaton politics. Details hereunder origin mainly from
USA (official and inofficial) sources.
All Saudi Arabian bases were renamed
in 1999 after members of the Saudi Royal Family (earlier they were named
after the city where they were based
plus the name Air Forces Base) additionally Wings were introduced.
Dhahran AB was renamed King Abdul
Aziz AB, holding 11 Wing,
Tabuk AB was renamed King Faisal AB, holding 7 Wing
Taif AB was renamed King Fahad AB holding 2 Wing
Khamis Mushait AB was renamed King Khalid AB holding 5 Wing
Badges: Dhahran
AB
Tabuk AB
1990 Taif AB Khamis Mushait AB.
Photo: unknown
The
past, the
present and the future: B.A.E.
Lightning F-53 of No 6 Squadron, McDonnel F-15C and Northrop F-5E 701
Saudi Arabian procedure is
to have serial with the first/or second digit showing to which Squadron
they are attached, which helps to obtain a (rather limited) history of
the units.
Hereunder Northrop
F-5 equipped units are listed, their former equipment or if they were new
established units; some information might be incomplete or incorrect due to the secrecy
surrouding this country.
Further
Squadrons/Wings badges can be found under http://scramble.nl/sa.htm -
Order of Battle, though it is not known if they were used on Northrop
F-5 Squadrons. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPANSION
No 2 Squadron
- Was the
last Lightning F.53
and Lightning T.55 equipped unit based at Tabuk
AB till mid January 1986 (last flight 22-01-86), after which it moved to Taif AB receiving Northrop F-5E
- from Peace Hawk IVprogramm for the strike role based at Khamis Mushait.
The Squadron was operational beginning 1979, probably disbanded in 2003 in order to enable set-up of new Squadrons when sufficent McDonnel F-15s (delivered between 1981 and 1984)
were available, additionally the Northrop F-5 had lost their operational capability for the defence of North-West
Saudi Arabia. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- No 3 Squadron
A new unit formed around 1975 at Taif/Prince Fahd AB with Northrop F-5E aircrafts from Peace Hawk II
programm; it was the initial type conversion unit. Later it received at
least
3 Northrop F-5F two-seaters.
By
1986 its equipment was according US sources 22 Northrop F-5E/F-5Fs its
pilot being trained also to conduct aireal reconnaissance.
In August 1990, during the war with Iraq, it was one of the Tiger equipped unit based at Taif AB.
The Squadron was operational beginning 1979, probably disbanded in order form to enable set-up of new Squadrons when sufficent BAE Tornados and McDonnel F-15s were avaibable
during the 1980's.
In
June 2020 it was thought to be re-formed with Eurofighters as Operational
Conversion Unit, but this duty was given to No. 10 Squadron. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- No 7 Squadron
-
First Saudi Northrop
F-5B still with US serial
13371
Northrop F-5B, serial 743, landing at Dhahran, its home base. Photos: archive F-5 Enthusiast
Based at Dhahran
AB, at the time
flying North American F-86F as an
Operational Conversion Unit (OCU),
was the first to re-equip in 1974 with Northrop F-5E/F-5F
from
- Peace Hawk II programm, keeping
the OCU role, but having operational duties in emergency cases; some Northrop F-5Bs were added when No
15 Squadron was re-equipped
- with Tigers.
- The complement of No 7 Squadron in 1983 was of 38 Northrop F-5B/F-5E/F-5F; it was charged with main air defense role of the Gulf area oil facilities having 2 Northrop F-5E on
- a five minutes alarm readiness until No
13 Squadron pilots were combat ready on their new McDonnell F-15C
(operating from January 1982), though there
were also 2 of of the
- new fighters on alert duties. Squadron's pilots were trained for dissimilar air combat and flew against McDonnell F-15Cs simulating MiG-21 and MiG-23.
- The unit was chosen as an Operational Conversion Unit for 48 BAE Tornado IDS heavy fighter-bombers. ordered in September 1985 .
- No 15 Squadron was transferred to Khamis Mushait AB; in June
1986, at the time operating 15 Northrop F-5E, 8 F-5F, 14 F-5B; 1 Northrop F-5 equipped with reconnaissance
- nose were transferred to Tabuk AB.
- Upon arrival of BAE Tornadoe IDSs (delivery starting on 27-03-86) the Squadron started conversion of the crews, remaining at Dhahran, creating an operational
- conversion training syllabus for the new aircraft. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No
10 Squadron
The Squadron replaced 1986 English Electric Lightnings at Tabuk AFB to ensure the air defence of the North-Western area.
Was relocated (when?) to
Taif AB upon receipt of Northrop F-5Es from the Peace Hawk
IV programm between 1976 and 1978. It provided fighter
alert aircrafts for
the Mecca/Jeddah area and provided tactical strike
training.
By 1986 its equipment was according US sources 22 Northrop F-5E/F-5Fs, based at Taif AB. In August 1990, during the war with Iraq, was one of the Tiger equipped unit based
at Taif AB.
In August 1998 at least 5 reconnaissance RF-5E were with the unit.
The Squadron was probably disbanded in order to enable set-up of new Squadrons when sufficent BAE Tornados and McDonnel F-15s were avaibable; it was re-formed re-equipped
with BAE Tornados (see below).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- No 15 Squadron
- Based also at Dhahran
AB, was equipped with Lockheed T-33A (originally 10),
for advanced jet pilot training of graduate pilots, when these were replaced by Northrop
F-5B from Peace
- Hawk I programm in 1972-73. It remained an
training unit, handling new
pilots having received 200 hrs basic training on BAC 167
Strikemaster.
In 1974 the unit started to re-equip with F 5E
Tiger and F-5F trainer aircrafts delivered under Peace Hawk II programme; it handled initial type conversion. The Northrop F-5B trainers
were mainly transferred to No 7 Squadron, the Operational Conversion Unit.
The
squadron moved from Dhahran AB to Khamis Mushait AB in 1981; was regularly deployed to other bases and used for Dissimilar Aircraft Combat against No 6 Squadron
BAE
Lightnings.
By
August 1985 some Northrop F-5E from the Squadron replaced EE Lightnings
on Quick Reaction Alert at Tabuk AB. There it
took over fighter duties while No 6 Squadron transi-
tioned to the
McDonnell F-15C and F-15D. Advanced stricke attack capability was added
when it received AGM-65A abd AGM-65B missiles.
Twelve
of its pilots, together of all Saudi ground personnel,
participated to "Red Flag 81" at Nelis AFB using 4 Northrop F-5B, 6
F-5E borrowed from USAFs, 425th Tactical Training
Squadron.
By 1986 its equipment was according US sources 18 Northrop F-5E, 9 F-5Fs, based at Dhahran AB.
In August 1990, during the invasion of Kuwait and partially Saudi Arabia, it deployed aircrafts to Tabuk AB, nearest Air Base to the operation area.
Northrop F-5E 1523 "B" armed with
4 AGM-65
Maverick in front of an hardened shelter.
GPU Mk 82 bombs armed
Northrop F-5E taking off from Dhahran AB in June
1978.
Photo: Archive The Northrop F-5 Enthusiast
No 15 Squadron was inactivated in 2005 as part of the Northrop F-5 phase down, later replaced by McDonnell F-15s. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No
17 Squadron
Was formed mid 1985 at the new built Tabuk/King Faisal AB; it received aircrafts ordered under Peace Hawk IV
programm, replacing No 2 Squadron BAE Lightnings in the fighter-bomber
role.
Transfer took place between 1976 and 1978 to Taif AB: ten reconnaissance Northrop RF-5Es were added between January and December 1986 and was still using some Northrop F-5B by
January 1991. In August 1990, during the war with Iraq, was one of the Tiger equipped unit based at Tabuk AB, the nearest to Iraq.
Its reconnaissance aircrafts played a critical
role in providing surveillance of the unstable Yemeni border in the South of the country.
The
Squadron was disbanded (probably on receipt of enough BAE
Tornado/McDonnel F-15 for other units) but reactivated for a short time
in 2010 with about 12 aircrafts of the three
variants.
It is believed that the unit was definitely disbanded by 2013 or earlier; some reconnaissance capable Tornados
from other Squadrons replaced the remaining Northrop RF-5E in this role. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATIONS
An important advisory mission in developing an effective combat
capability was played by the Unites States Military Training
Mission with detachments at the main bases; it provided
for example No
7 Squadron at Dhahran assistance on Northrop F-5 training with
instructor pilots. USAF
aggressors pilots have visited Saudi Arabia before 1983 to train local
pilots on
Soviet aerial tactics used by several bording countries. It had a detachment at Taif to assist
locally based F-5E/F-5F and RF-5E Squadrons.
The
first, and only known, exercise abroad was by Northrop F-5Es of No
10 Squadron when they were deployed to Mafraq
AB (Jordan) in 06 November 1975 (excercise called Al-Yarmuk),
together with Lockheed C-130, Agusta-Bell 205,
Agusta-Bell 212. The Squadron participated in a combined
air/ground Jordanian/Syrian/Saudi forces excercise, demonstrating the Air
Force's
ability to deploy large components to Jordanian bases and
operate from their home base, relying entirely on Jordanian ground crews. The
F-5s gave air support and air defense to their
own troops, while
cooperating with the Syrian-Soviet operated Ground Control, and
coordinating their operations with Syrian MIG 21s and 23s as well as
Sukhoi Su-20s.
In
1978 pilots began Dissimiliar Air Combat training
against Lightnings; in addition a large inert dart target was
carried during some combat training, always to the benefit of
Lightning
pilots; Tigers
fired a Sidewinder air-to-air missile as a target. Additionally,
Northrop F-5s designated targets for simulated laser equpped
bombs to the benefit of the bigger fighter.
Four Northrop F-5B were transferred to the Yemen
Arab Republic Air Force in 1979, during a conflict between the
republic (North) and South Yemen, to help training of local pilots to the
recently received Northrop F-5E.
An important event was the participation in November 1980 to the "Red Flag 81-1 " exercise at Nellis AFB (USA) with
USAF, 425th TFTS, loaned aircrafts. The crews used 4 Northrop
F-5B,
6 F-5E, 2 F-5F painted with Saudi Arabian AF nationality
markings, beside USAF ones; 12 pilots flew 135 of the planned 140
sorties, assisted only by
own ground personnell.
The
year 1981 saw an increasing number of their periodic deployment
to Tabuk AB (near to the Jordan/Israeli border) of No 10 and No 3
Squadrons aircrafts. An unfortunate episode was
the late scramble in 1982 to counter an Iraninan McDonnell F-4 to counter a defecting Iranian McDonnell F-4,
too late to intercept the aircraft before entering Saudi Arabian airspace
in the
Dahararn oil area.
Depot-level
capability of ariframes and avionics maintenance at Dnahran plus full
operation of the Northrop Fighter had largely taken over by Saudi
Arabian Personnell by 1983;
some
other bases having total responsabilty for the aircrafts. Flight os
12-14 aircafts were regularly regularly detached to remote bases
on excercises.
- Taif based No 3 and 10
Squadron operated together 35 Northrop F-5E and 9 F-5F during 1983.
Photo: unknown
Northrop F-5E 701, probably the first delivered Tiger, in company with
a
McDonnell F-15C of No 13 Squadron in 1988
Unit
patces were based on RAF crest (central logo within a frame identifying
the unit number with a motto below,a Royal Crown above) during the
1950s and 1960s due to the
presence of United Kingdom personnell.
This
was modified under USAF influence to a circular and shield shaped patch
with new logos in mid-70s/early 80s and later in the 1980s again when
new standard logos were adapted
deleting pictures of living creatures.
We have a without doubt confirmation by the picture below others are doubtful if they were used during the Tiger era.
Welcome to No 3
Squadron leaflet for newcomers at Taif AB showing several
Northrop F-5Es, the nearest aircraft still has iis USAF serial.
Of interest is that the US programm Peace II serial (not the Saudi one known to be
normally weared) the No 3 Squadron badge (left), the Taif AB on the higher middle
part of the photo and the Arabic inscriptions (what do they mean?).
BADGES
Early Badges (some RAF style), most probably used by Later badges (US style) possibly used only upon re-equipment with Douglas F-15 or BAC Tornado
Northrop F-5
units
No 3 Squadron No 7 Squadron
No 2 Squadron
No 3 Squadron
Desert Storm
Operations- An important advisory mission in developing an effective combat
capability was played by the Unites States Military Training
Mission with detachments at the main bases;
- it provided for example No
7 Squadron at Dhahran assistance on Northrop F-5 training with
instructor pilots. USAF
aggressors pilots have visited Saudi Arabia before 1983 to
- train local
pilots on Soviet aerial tactics. It has a detachment at Taif to assistlocally based F-5E/F-5F and RF-5E Squadrons.
- The
first, and only known, exercise abroad was by Northrop F-5Es of No
10 Squadron when they were deployed to Mafraq
AB (Jordan) in November 1975, together with Lockheed
- C-130, Agusta-Bell 205,Agusta-Bell 212.
- The Squadron participated in a combined
air/ground Jordanian/Syrian/Saudi forces, demonstrating the Air
Force's ability to deploy large components to Jordanian bases and
- operate from there, relying entirely on Jordanian ground crews. The
F-5s gave air support and air defense to their own troops, while
cooperating with the Syrian-Soviet operated
- Ground Control, and
coordinating their operations with Syrian MIG 21s and 23s as well as
Sukhoi Su-20s.
In
1978 pilots began Dissimiliar Air Combat training
against Lightnings; in addition a large inert dart target was
carried during some combat training, always to the benefit of
- Lightning pilots; Tigers
fired a Sidewinderair-to-air missile as a target. Additionally,
Northrop F-5s designated targets for simulated laser equpped
bombs to the benefit of the
- bigger fighter.
- Four Northrop F-5B were transferred to the Yemen
Arab Republic Air Force in 1979, during a conflict between the
republic (North) and South Yemen, to help training local pilots for
- the
recently received Northrop F-5E.
- The
year 1981 saw an increasing number of their periodic deployment
to Tabuk AB (near to the Jordan/Israeli border) of No 10 and No 3
Squadrons aircrafts, normally based in the
- South/West. An important event was the participation in November 1980 to the "Red Flag 81-1" exercise at Nellis AFB (USA) with
USAF, 425th TFTS, loaned aircrafts. The crews
- used 4 Northrop
F-5B, 6 F-5E, 2 F-5F showing with Saudi Arabian AF,beside USAF,
markings; 12 pilots flew 135 of the planned 140 sorties, assisted only by
own ground personnell.
- An unfortunate episode was the late scramble in 1982 to counter a defecting Iranian McDonnell F-4, too late to intercept the aircraft before entering Saudi Arabian air-space in the
- Dhahran oil area and landing.
Depot-level capibility of the airframe and avionics at Dahran AB plus full operation of the Northrop fighter had largely been taken over by Saudi Arabian personnell by 1983, some
other bases having
total responsability for the aircrafts. Flights of 12-14 aircrafts were
detached to remote bases on exercises.
- The complement of No 7 Squadron in 1983 was of 38 Northrop F-5B/F-5E/F-5F; it was encharged with main air defense role of the Gulf area oil facilities having 2 Northrop F-5E on
- a five minutes alarm readiness until No
13 Squadron pilots were combat ready on their new McDonnell F-15C
(operating from January 1982), though there
were also 2 of these new
- fighters on alert duties. Squadron's pilots were trained for dissimilar air combat and flew against McDonnell F-15Cs simulating MiG-21 and MiG-23.
- Taif basedd No 3 and No 10 Squdrons operated during 1983 35 Northrop F-5E and 9 F-5F together.
- Additionally there were in 1986 22
Northrop F-5E/F-5F at Khamis Mushayt AB, 36 Northrop F-5E/F-5F and 8
Northrop RF-5E at Taif AB. The purchase of a total of 2500 AGM-65A and
- AGM-65B missile gave an attack capability to these aircrafts.
- Between 17-01-91 and
28-02-91 Northrop F-5E flew 1'129 and
RF-5E 118 sorties; Northrop F-5Fs equipped with laser
spotter/tracker and armed with GBUs did some strike missions,
- "lased" with the help of SaudiBell 406 Combat Scout helicoptes. Only
1 F-5E was lost to anti-aircraft artillery on 13-02-91.
Desert Storm
-
Operation
"Desert Storm" took place in August 1990 following Iraqi invasion
of Kuwait. At the time there were four Northrop F-5Es equipped
Squadrons: No 15 at Khamis Mushayt,
- No 3 and No 10 at Taif (all
with Northrop F-5E/F-5F), No 17 at Tabuk (with Northrop F-5E/RF-5E).
This last was the nearest base to Kuwait, its Northrop F-5E/F-5F
attacking
- entrenched Iraqi infantry, RF-5E flying reconnaissance
missions along the Saudi-Kuwaiti border. It seems that some aircrafts
from other Squadrons were deployed to Tabuk AB.
- Between 17-01-91 and
28-02-91 Northrop F-5E flew 1'129 and
RF-5E 118 sorties; Northrop F-5Fs equipped with laser
spotter/tracker and armed with GBUs did some strike missions,
- "lased" by Saudi Bell 406 Combat Scout helicoptes. Only
1 F-5E was lost to anti-aircraft artillery on 13-02-91.
Photo: USAF
Saudi Arabian F-5E on a training flight with USAF McDonnell F-15C of the 33rd Tactical Fighter
Wing before Desert Storm operation.
- Retirement / Units conversion / disactivation
- Defence
of North-West Saudi Arabia was taken over by No 6 Squadron equipped
with McDonnell Douglas F-15V/F-15D heavy figher as the tiny/sort range
Nortrop F-5 had lost its
- operational capabilities and No
2 Squadron at Taif AF was transferred to Tabuk AB in
March 2003.
- Replacement fighter for the tiny/simple Northrop fighter was ordered on 11-09-07 in the form of 72 much more advanced Eurofighter Typhoon.
First two Eurofighter Typhoon were delivered to Taif AB on 24-06-09 for No 3 Squadron which acts initially as the Operational Conversion Unit with Typhoon T.51; the Squadron had
started flying operations
by
mid-October 2009 with the first four aircrafts delivered. Eight were serialled in No 10 Squadron (reforming late 2013) range but went to No 3 Squadron,
as well as all other first 24 aircrafts. At present Taif AB hosts all operational Typhoon FGR.50
- Northrop F-5 had lost their operational capability for the defence of North-West
Saudi Arabia when No
2 Squadron at Taif AF was transferred to Tabuk AB in March 2003,
- contemporaneously converting to former No 6 Squadrons McDonnell Douglas F-15C/F-15Ds, these being later replaced by Boeing-McDonnell F-15S.