An F-15SA Royal Saudi Air Force fighter jet crashed during a training mission in Khamis Mushait on Wednesday at 14:28, said the Saudi Ministry of Defense.
“May God have mercy on them, [I ask] the God Almighty to accept them from the righteous martyrs and to inspire their families and relatives patience and solace,” said the official spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki.
An investigation committee has begun probing the causes of the accident.
The advanced F-15SA was introduced to the Royal Saudi Air Force at the beginning of 2017 and it has high capability to attack ground targets precisely in any weather conditions, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and help pilots fly in the dark.
The maximum speed of the “Strike Eagle” jet is 2,655 km per hour and its maximum altitude is 18,200 meters. Its combat range is 1,840 km.
It also has an airframe with a lifetime of more than double the old models.
The jet has two weapon pods which aren’t found in previous models, in order to fortify its weapon payload and capabilities that include highly-developed radars to enable it to perform all tasks.
