New Saudi Air Warfare Centre completed
Participants of Exercise ‘Spears of Victory 2022' at the new Air Warfare Center at King Abdulaziz Air Base. (Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) used its new Air Warfare Center at King Abdulaziz Air Base on the kingdom's Gulf coast to host Exercise ‘Spears of Victory 2022' that began on 13 February.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported that the exercise involves the kingdom's land, naval, and air defence forces, as well as elements from the national guard and state security. Bahrain, Pakistan, and the United States are also participating.
The MoD released photographs and video clips showing participating aircraft at a facility that satellite imagery shows was recently constructed on the southwest side of King Abdulaziz Air Base.
US company Tutor Perini announced in December 2018 that the US Air Force had awarded it a USD104 million contract to design and build new facilities for the RSAF, saying the work was expected to be completed in mid-2021.
The company's website subsequently identified the project as the Air Warfare Center at King Abdulaziz Air Base, saying it consisted of 31,400 m 2 of new buildings that include three new aircraft maintenance hangars and a squadron operations facility, as well as 167,000 m 2 of new paving and 24 aircraft sunshades.
The foundation stone for the centre was laid by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March 2019. Earlier that month, RSAF Lieutenant General Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz said the Air Warfare Centre would be similar to the one at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
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