To keep pace with the constant advancement of defense technology and military tactics, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been modernizing its Armed Forces in terms of equipment, resources, capabilities and skills.
It has concluded major deals to supply advanced weapons, participated in bilateral and joint exercises, and stipulated in its Vision 2030 that half of its military procurements be supplied domestically.
As part of a training program to enhance its Air Force, the Saudis held an annual multinational exercise called Spears of Victory. Air forces from 15 nations participated in the 12-day exercise in January and February 2025 at the Royal Saudi Air Force’s Air Warfare Center at King Abdulaziz Air Base near Dhahran.
Seventy aircraft from nine countries flew in Spears of Victory, including from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Pakistan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Greece. Seven more countries participated as observers: Egypt, Jordan, Australia, Italy, Morocco, South Korea and Spain.
A showcase of strength, precision and international partnership, the exercise promoted military collaboration and sharing expertise in modern aerial combat strategies. It allowed participants to strengthen interoperability; share procedures, tactics and rules of engagement; and develop combat capabilities.
Scenarios included complex offensive and defensive training flights involving electronic warfare and air defense systems supplemented with fighter aircraft to simulate enemies’ capabilities.
The goal of the training was to improve the ability of multinational partners to conduct joint missions to tackle current and emerging threats, said the commander of Spears of Victory 2025, Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Ali al-Omari.
The exercise “allowed the participating nations to strengthen their interoperability, by harmonizing their procedures and rules of engagement, while developing common know-how,” the French Ministry of Defense said. Sources: Theaviationist.com, Asharq Al-Awsat