Ministry of Defense

The Ministry of Defense is a system that works to protect the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its interests from external aggressions, to deter attacks on its sovereignty, security, unity, and resources, and to lead and participate in international coalitions. It was established in 1944.

The development of the Saudi army went through several stages when the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud emphasized the importance of enhancing the army in technology and armament. Work then began on implementing new military regulations, forming the military sector from a group of military units, including the cavalry established in 1925.

In 1929, King Abdulaziz ordered the establishment of the Department of Military Affairs and requested it to lay the foundations for a strong army. The department undertook organizational activities, which included creating departments and branches alongside organizing military units such as machine gun units, infantry units, and artillery units.

In 1934, King Abdulaziz ordered the creation of a Defense Agency alongside the Department of Military Affairs, assigning its leadership to the then Minister of Finance, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Sulaiman. The agency took significant steps towards further organization and expansion of the formations, establishing four branches that aligned with the concept of bodies in addition to the three arms: infantry, machine guns, artillery, and later on, the cavalry. It also established detachments distributed in various cities and strategic locations such as Jeddah, al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, Abha, Taif, Duba, Yanbu, Tabuk, al-Ula, al-Wajh, and Makkah al-Mukarramah.

In 1939, a decree was issued to establish the Army General Staff to replace the Department of Military Affairs. Mohammed Tariq al-Afriqi was appointed as the first Chief of Staff in the Saudi Army. The Army General Staff took over the responsibilities previously handled by the Department of Military Affairs. Later, in 1959, an order was issued to restructure it and appoint Major General Ibrahim al-Tassan as the Chief of General Staff of the Army.

In 1944, as the number of personnel in the Saudi Army increased and its weapons and organizational structures evolved, King Abdulaziz issued a Royal Order establishing a special Ministry of Defense and the General Inspectorate. Prince Mansour Bin Abdulaziz was appointed as the Minister of Defense and the Inspector General. The responsibilities of this new ministry encompassed all aspects necessary for building military strength according to organizational and combat methods. The ministry organized its structures, revived the General Staff, sent Saudi youths abroad for military studies, and introduced new types of weapons, such as armored vehicles and wireless communication devices.

In 1952, an order was issued to change the name of the Ministry of Defense and the General Inspectorate to the Ministry of Defense and Aviation and the General Inspectorate. This change was made to expand the aviation fields concerned by the ministry, given that the Directorate of Civil Aviation was under its jurisdiction at that time.

In 1962, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz was appointed as the Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General. Under his leadership, the ministry underwent significant development through the reorganization of the General Staff Headquarters and the creation of new commands for the land, air, naval, air defense, and strategic missile forces. These commands were given independent budgets to ensure their continued advancement and flexibility in executing their plans.

In 2011, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued a Royal Order that changed the name of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation and the General Inspectorate to the Ministry of Defense. Additionally, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz was appointed Minister of Defense.

The vision of the Ministry of Defense is centered on building a modern institution that possesses professional and joint military forces that protect the security of the Kingdom and its interests from external threats and capably lead and participate in alliances. This vision is based on the following pillars:

- Deterrence and defense against all threats to protect the security interests of the Kingdom.

- Integrated coordination with national power elements to develop capabilities and mutual benefits that enhance national security.

- Implementation of best modern management practices in merit-based work environments to achieve optimal use of resources.

This is achieved by preparing and leading the armed forces to defend the security, interests, and sovereignty of the Kingdom, protecting it from any external aggression, and working with all government ministries to achieve national security and stability.

In 2015, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud was appointed as the Minister of Defense. One of his priorities was to develop the ministry and define a comprehensive strategic orientation for it to become an organization that can support national objectives. The first phase began with the establishment of the Ministry of Defense Development Program, which was tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment of the ministry. The goal was to identify the main challenges and gaps faced by the ministry, areas that needed to be built upon, and others that required improvement. The program completed this comprehensive evaluation with the support of both global and local expertise.

On February 26, 2018, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Supreme Commander of all military forces, endorsed the development document for the Ministry of Defense. This document includes a new vision and strategy, a targeted operational model for development, an organizational structure, governance, and requirements for human resources, all prepared in light of the national defense strategy.

Since the beginning of the Ministry of Defense's first steps in its institutional transformation and development program, the ministry has achieved several accomplishments, launched numerous projects and initiatives, and experienced changes in spending efficiency, planning, strategy, and the integration of forces and systems, along with progress in building the ministry’s adopted operational model.

On September 27, 2022, a Royal Order was issued appointing Prince Khalid Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz as the Minister of Defense, to continue the approach and path outlined by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, the crown prince and prime minister.

The Ministry of Defense has set strategic objectives for its development, which include achieving joint operational superiority and excellence, improving the organizational performance of the Ministry of Defense, modernizing equipment and weapons, enhancing spending efficiency, supporting the localization of military manufacturing, and developing individual performance and boosting morale.

Achieving the strategic objectives is based on the implementation of 308 initiatives to develop the Ministry of Defense, each detailed in a comprehensive document. This document includes the scope of work, the entity responsible for implementation, the required timing, and the necessary actions. The priorities of these initiatives have been defined and organized into three phases to align with the strategic objectives as follows:

Phase One: Building the ministry's core center and establishing undersecretaries (the Undersecretary for Strategic Affairs, the Undersecretary for Excellence Services, and the Undersecretary for Procurement and Armament), restructuring the General Staff Headquarters, and establishing the Joint Forces Command.

Phase Two: Reorganizing the forces to increase performance efficiency and facilitate joint operations.

Phase Three: Rearming the forces and building capabilities.

The organizational structure of the Saudi Ministry of Defense is designed into three undersecretaries that handle guidance, enablement, and acquisition functions:

- The Undersecretary for Strategic Affairs, which is responsible for the guidance function through the preparation and management of policies and strategies that clarify and define the ministry's role in achieving national security interests and objectives. It also sets the roles and standards within the ministry in accordance with the strategic directives of the minister and the decisions of the Defense Council.

- The Undersecretary for Excellence Services, which is focused on the enablement function, through managing tasks and operations that enable the ministry and its personnel to accomplish their responsibilities with the necessary quality, speed, and excellence. It also manages the systems and support centers needed for this purpose.

- The Undersecretary for Procurement and Armament, which specializes in the acquisition function, this agency oversees the procurement of equipment, weapons, and their supporting systems to ensure sustainability, prevent duplication, and effectively enhance spending efficiency.

The General Staff Presidency: It is responsible for coordinating joint operations among all the forces under its command. It serves as a central entity connected to the leadership of the land, air, naval, and air defense forces. It works on training, equipping, and rapidly deploying forces, while also providing necessary logistical support services.

The Saudi Arabian Royal Land Forces are the first regular military force in the Kingdom, established with the goal of protecting the nation's security and interests from external threats. They work in integrated coordination with other national power elements to enhance national security. The forces optimize the use of resources within a merit-based work environment. They are organized across eight military provinces that cover the entire geographical scope of the Kingdom. These regions consist of various area commands, independent arms, colleges, institutes, advanced schools, formations, administrations, agencies, and diverse groups.

The Saudi Royal Air Force is tasked with defending the security and safety of the Kingdom's airspace and protecting it from any aggression. It also collaborates with other branches of the armed forces to consolidate the freedom and stability of the Kingdom's resources, by possessing some of the best fighter jets in the world.

The Saudi Royal Naval Forces defend the security and safety of the Kingdom's territories and its territorial waters. The naval forces possess two fleets: the Eastern Fleet in the Arabian Gulf and the Western Fleet in the Red Sea. Each fleet has military strength comprising combat ship units, support and administrative and technical backing units, naval aviation groups, marine infantry, and special maritime security units.

The Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces are tasked with defending vital areas, sensitive points, and military formations against any aerial and missile threats, in cooperation with the Air Force and contributions from other branches of the armed forces to protect the stability and wealth of the Kingdom.

The Saudi Royal Strategic Missile Force is a deterrent force that preserves the security of the Kingdom's territory and protects its supreme national interests. It is known as the "Falcon" project, named in honor of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman, known as the Falcon of the Peninsula. Upon the project's completion, it was officially named the Strategic Missile Force, marking a turning point in the Kingdom's defense strategy.

The Joint Forces Command operates to enhance the combat efficiency and readiness of the forces, lead joint operations, and manage defense capabilities effectively to confront emerging and future threats in all dimensions. It aims to achieve integration with all elements of national power and to operate within regional and international alliances professionally and competently to ensure the security and safety of the Kingdom and protect its national interests.

The Armed Forces Command and Staff College is a military educational institution within the Ministry of Defense. It was originally established as the Institute for Senior Officers in 1959 and was renamed the Institute for Senior Officers in 1964. The institute was later transformed into the Command and Staff College in 1969 and finally renamed the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in 1985.

In 2009, the War Wing was established to train officers at the strategic and operational levels. Six years later, the Strategic Studies Center for the Armed Forces was opened and activated under the umbrella of the college. For over sixty years, the college has offered pioneering military thought under the slogan "Knowledge, Thought, Planning."

The college educates and trains officers from the armed forces, as well as officers from other military and security sectors, and officers from friendly and sisterly countries, providing them with knowledge and military sciences in the fields of leadership and planning.

The college comprises a range of wings specializing in various military fields, offering numerous programs, levels, and educational courses, including master's degrees and diplomas.

King Abdulaziz Military College: It is a military educational institution in the Kingdom, founded in 1955, to educate, train, and qualify its enrollees militarily and physically for service as officers in the Royal Saudi Land Forces. It aims to achieve standards of quality and excellence in educational, military, and civilian fields, and to establish an administrative and logistical system that supports and enhances the educational process. The college grants a bachelor's degree in Military Sciences to its graduates.

King Faisal Air Academy: Founded in 1967, the academy aims to qualify, educate, and train its enrollees to possess the scientific and practical qualifications that make them scientifically, practically, and militarily qualified officers to secure and protect the Kingdom's airspace. It graduates specialized officers characterized by the qualities that qualify them to work in the Royal Saudi Air Force. The academy grants a bachelor's degree in nine specialties, which are: Pilot, Weapons Systems Operator, Air Navigator, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Pilot, UAV Weapons Systems Operator, Air Traffic Controller, Fighter Controller, Logistics, and Security.

King Fahd Naval Academy: Established in 1983, the academy aims to support the Royal Saudi Navy with naval officers who are qualified militarily, scientifically, physically, and morally. It graduates officers capable of performing the required duties, whether in the Royal Saudi Navy or the Saudi Border Guard. The academy grants a bachelor's degree in Naval Sciences to its graduates.

King Abdullah Air Defense College: Established in 1998 and located in Taif Province, the college aims to prepare officers to work in the air defense forces. These officers possess leadership, intellectual, and physical skills, and they work on air defense systems. They are capable of working in joint environments within the Saudi Armed Forces or external alliances by mastering the English language. Additionally, they provide research and studies that serve the air defense forces, keeping pace with its technological developments. The college grants a bachelor's degree in Military Sciences to its graduates.