The Saudi Defense Ministry is stepping up efforts to develop the Kingdom’s defense capabilities through exchanging military expertise at war games Saudi Arabia is partaking in alongside other countries in 2021.
Saudi air forces, navy and army have participated in drills at diverse military training sites inside the Kingdom and abroad. In the first 90 days of 2021, Saudi Arabia took part in around seven different military maneuvers that tested its defense capabilities under various circumstances.
According to observers, Riyadh is strengthening its leadership position and developing its military capabilities with allies to help boost stability in the region.
“Saudi forces are uniquely interested in military maneuvers in the Arab region, and actively participate in regional or international military exercises,” retired Maj.-Gen. Shami Al Daheri told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He added that the Kingdom enjoys high defense capabilities and carries out its military operations with high precision to avoid civilian collateral damage.
“Saudi forces, especially the Royal Saudi Air Forces (RSAF), possess great combat readiness. They have proven this by confronting Houthi attacks and other attempts to undermine security in the Kingdom,” said Daheri.
“Aerial targeting carried out by Saudi forces against Houthi outposts in Yemen is characterized by being very accurate and works to ensure that civilians and non-military installations in Yemen are not affected,” he added.
It is worth noting that the RSAF is taking part in Eagle Eye 1 military drill scheduled for March.
Last week, the RSAF arrived with its full air, technical and backing up crews in Souda Airbase at the Greek island of Crete, where they, alongside their Greek counterparts, will carry out air sorties and joint exercises over the Mediterranean Sea.
The drill aims to boost the skills of the air and technical crews, raise the combat readiness of the Saudi air force and exchange military expertise.
Daheri described the Saudi-Greek maneuver as “unique” in terms of it taking place over the Mediterranean.
“The theater of operations has a very large role in the success of the exercise,” he noted, but stressed that the location has nothing to do with current tensions among neighboring countries.
