Saudi, Jordan Conclude Joint Exercise
The drill aims at enhancing cooperation, exchanging of expertise, developing military skills, and training in counter-terrorism operations, dealing with ammunitions and raising combat efficiency
Dr. Shaul Shay
| 04/05/2017
The Saudi and Jordanian armed forces have conducted a joint maritime military exercise named "Abdallah 5", from April 18 to May 2, 2017. Units from Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) arrived at the Saudi King Abdulaziz Naval Base (KANB), while a group of Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) arrived at the Marka military airport in Amman, to carry out the "Abdullah 5" joint military drill.
The drill aims at enhancing cooperation, exchanging of expertise, developing military skills, and training in counter-terrorism operations, dealing with ammunitions and raising combat efficiency.
The exercises concluded in the presence of Director of Eastern Fleet Operations Admiral Lafi bin Hussein al-Harbi and commander of the Royal Jordanian Naval Special Forces Commander Adnan Ahmed Alwan.
The "Abdallah 5", three-week, joint drill between the Jordanian and Saudi armed forces is the fifth version of the exercises that began in 2012, and it is part of a series of joint drills between the two countries.
The Exercise in Saudi Arabia
The military maneuvers, which were held in the Saudi Arabian eastern fleet in Jubail, included drills with live ammunition with the participation of Royal Saudi Naval Special Forces and Royal Jordanian Naval Special Forces.
The maneuvers lasted for three weeks during which the participants from both sides were trained on thwarting terrorist operations and a number of military hypotheses. The training included traditional and non-traditional special operations, which included helicopter rope suspension operations, the use of speed boats, use of reconnaissance aircraft, training in counter-terrorism field, and training on mine clearance using the latest devices, in addition, to exercise on dealing with new explosives and blunted ammunition.
Photographs released by both the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) showed Saudi soldiers and one Jordanian in an ACMAT Bastion PASTAS 4x4 armored vehicle during the "Abdallah 5" joint exercise.
Director of Eastern Fleet Operations Admiral Lafi bin Hussein al-Harbi stated that they started planning for a new exercise to be executed in 2018 based on possible goals and threats.
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF)
Saudi Arabia is the only regional force with the ability to maintain a truly blue-water-capable, war-fighting navy. However, the Royal Saudi Navy is in need of modernization. The majority of its fleet was commissioned during the 1970s and 1980s and a large proportion of its vessels reaching the end of their useful service life.
The main naval headquarters located in the Saudi capital Riyadh with state-of-the-art command, control and communication center. The Navy has one of the largest naval academies in the region, which is located in Jubail. The naval bases not only house Navy ships but also has one of the largest and most modern supply centers, naval schools, naval simulators and much more which make the Saudi naval bases the largest in the area if not the world.
The operational command is divided into two major fleets plus command of the Marine regiment. The RSN Eastern Fleet is comprised of mainly US-built vessels, although the Western Fleet is mainly sourced from France.
The Arabian Gulf Division (The Eastern Fleet) is headquartered at Al Jubail and has bases at Dammam, Ras Tanura, and Al Qatif, plus a naval aviation element.
Summary
The dispute between Saudi Arabiya and Iran, two Middle Eastern regional powers, has deep religious, historical and political roots. Saudi Arabia sees Iran as the paramount threat to the Middle East's stability because of its support for Shiite militias that Riyadh says have inflamed sectarian violence in the region. The control of the strategic Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab is an essential part of the conflict between Saudi Arabiya and Iran.
Jordan is sharing with Saudi Arabia the strategic concerns regarding the Iranian involvement in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, in the broader context of Iran's strategy of challenging the existing Middle East order by generating unrest, which then allows it to maneuver an advantage through the resulting uncertainty.
Saudi Arabia is convinced that Iran supplies the Houthis in Yemen with weapons, and claimed that without the Iranian support, the Houthi rebel cause would probably slump. A Saudi-led Arab coalition (ten countries) has been fighting to restore Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power since last year, including via air strikes, ground forces and naval blockade.
Jordan is part of the Saudi-led Arab coalition and the "Abdallah 5" joint exercise is part of the strategic cooperation between the two countries.
The drill aims at enhancing cooperation, exchanging of expertise, developing military skills, and training in counter-terrorism operations, dealing with ammunitions and raising combat efficiency
The Saudi and Jordanian armed forces have conducted a joint maritime military exercise named "Abdallah 5", from April 18 to May 2, 2017. Units from Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) arrived at the Saudi King Abdulaziz Naval Base (KANB), while a group of Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) arrived at the Marka military airport in Amman, to carry out the "Abdullah 5" joint military drill.
The drill aims at enhancing cooperation, exchanging of expertise, developing military skills, and training in counter-terrorism operations, dealing with ammunitions and raising combat efficiency.
The exercises concluded in the presence of Director of Eastern Fleet Operations Admiral Lafi bin Hussein al-Harbi and commander of the Royal Jordanian Naval Special Forces Commander Adnan Ahmed Alwan.
The "Abdallah 5", three-week, joint drill between the Jordanian and Saudi armed forces is the fifth version of the exercises that began in 2012, and it is part of a series of joint drills between the two countries.
The Exercise in Saudi Arabia
The military maneuvers, which were held in the Saudi Arabian eastern fleet in Jubail, included drills with live ammunition with the participation of Royal Saudi Naval Special Forces and Royal Jordanian Naval Special Forces.
The maneuvers lasted for three weeks during which the participants from both sides were trained on thwarting terrorist operations and a number of military hypotheses. The training included traditional and non-traditional special operations, which included helicopter rope suspension operations, the use of speed boats, use of reconnaissance aircraft, training in counter-terrorism field, and training on mine clearance using the latest devices, in addition, to exercise on dealing with new explosives and blunted ammunition.
Photographs released by both the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) showed Saudi soldiers and one Jordanian in an ACMAT Bastion PASTAS 4x4 armored vehicle during the "Abdallah 5" joint exercise.
Director of Eastern Fleet Operations Admiral Lafi bin Hussein al-Harbi stated that they started planning for a new exercise to be executed in 2018 based on possible goals and threats.
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF)
Saudi Arabia is the only regional force with the ability to maintain a truly blue-water-capable, war-fighting navy. However, the Royal Saudi Navy is in need of modernization. The majority of its fleet was commissioned during the 1970s and 1980s and a large proportion of its vessels reaching the end of their useful service life.
The main naval headquarters located in the Saudi capital Riyadh with state-of-the-art command, control and communication center. The Navy has one of the largest naval academies in the region, which is located in Jubail. The naval bases not only house Navy ships but also has one of the largest and most modern supply centers, naval schools, naval simulators and much more which make the Saudi naval bases the largest in the area if not the world.
The operational command is divided into two major fleets plus command of the Marine regiment. The RSN Eastern Fleet is comprised of mainly US-built vessels, although the Western Fleet is mainly sourced from France.
The Arabian Gulf Division (The Eastern Fleet) is headquartered at Al Jubail and has bases at Dammam, Ras Tanura, and Al Qatif, plus a naval aviation element.
Summary
The dispute between Saudi Arabiya and Iran, two Middle Eastern regional powers, has deep religious, historical and political roots. Saudi Arabia sees Iran as the paramount threat to the Middle East's stability because of its support for Shiite militias that Riyadh says have inflamed sectarian violence in the region. The control of the strategic Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab is an essential part of the conflict between Saudi Arabiya and Iran.
Jordan is sharing with Saudi Arabia the strategic concerns regarding the Iranian involvement in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, in the broader context of Iran's strategy of challenging the existing Middle East order by generating unrest, which then allows it to maneuver an advantage through the resulting uncertainty.
Saudi Arabia is convinced that Iran supplies the Houthis in Yemen with weapons, and claimed that without the Iranian support, the Houthi rebel cause would probably slump. A Saudi-led Arab coalition (ten countries) has been fighting to restore Yemen’s President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power since last year, including via air strikes, ground forces and naval blockade.
Jordan is part of the Saudi-led Arab coalition and the "Abdallah 5" joint exercise is part of the strategic cooperation between the two countries.
