Skip to main content

 


BRITISH AIRCRAFT IN SUPPORT OF SAUDI FORCES: BIG QUESTION MARKS

Saudi officials requested foreign military support following the recent offensive operation executed by the Ansar Allah group (better known as the Houthis), which resulted in the capture of strategic positions in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait area. US forces sent advisors and support through intelligence sharing. They have not performed military operations, despite the strait being of immense importance to the economies of the US and its allies. And yet, American forces executed an aggressive campaign against the Houthi group between December 2023 and May 2025, following which victory over the group was announced through its capitulation[1]. And currently, the US leadership is not initiating any military action to resolve a major problem for its own economy, namely executing airstrikes and landing marines on the islands in the strait. What am I to understand from this? That, in reality, the aforementioned campaign was not successful? This is plain to see, since a year and a few months later the Houthis achieved a major victory. However, something else also emerges: American leaders are afraid to engage forces against the Houthis. Why is that? What happened in that campaign?

      The Saudis' request for help did not go unanswered. Great Britain is sending in support a tanker aircraft intended for the aerial refueling of fighter jets[2]. This is necessary because, naturally, Saudi forces utilize air superiority against the Houthis. Possessing a large number of combat aircraft and considering the vast distances across the Arabian Peninsula, tanker aircraft are required for refueling. However, one detail has flown under the radar. The Saudi air force possesses a fairly large number of tanker aircraft: 22 (of which 9 are KC-130s). In this regard, they rank second in the world, behind the USAF (610 aircraft). In fourth place is France, with 15 aircraft.[3] The Saudi Air Force possesses 283 combat aircraft [4]. And this is where the questions arise. A KC-130 can refuel up to 30 combat aircraft in a single mission[5]. Granted, that is under certain conditions. But even if the Saudi air force refuels 20 aircraft per mission, a few KC-130s are enough. Surely, not all 283 combat aircraft fly at the same time, but much fewer. And then there are the other 13 refueling aircraft. Why would there be a need for yet another British aircraft for such missions? This is where it becomes unclear. What am I to understand from this? That, previously, Iranian forces also hit Saudi refueling aircraft with missiles and drones? Or that the Houthi group knocked Saudi tanker aircraft out of action? A simple detail raises highly interesting questions. It seems that Saudi forces are facing major problems. And not just on the ground, in Yemen.


[1] European Council on Foreign Relations, “The paradox of intervention: How US strikes in Yemen empowered the Houthis”, accessed September 22, 2026, https://ecfr.eu/article/the-paradox-of-intervention-how-us-strikes-in-yemen-empowered-the-houthis/.

[2] “UK agrees to support Saudi in struggle with Houthis: reports”, Bangkok Post, accessed September 22, 2026, https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/3324014/uk-agrees-support-for-saudi-in-struggle-with-houthis-reports.

[3] “The world’s biggest tanker fleets in 2026, and why the numbers mislead”, Aerospace Global News, accessed September 22, 2026, https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/biggest-aerial-refuelling-tanker-fleets/.

[4] Global Firepower, “2026 Saudi Arabia Military Strength”, accessed July 27, 2026, https://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.php?country_id=saudi-arabia.

[5] “Boom operators provide fuel for warfighters”, Air Force, accessed September 22, 2026, https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/135184/boom-operators-provide-fuel-for-warfighters/.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  THE MIDDLE EAST MILITARY CRISIS: A GREAT PARADOX Saudi Arabia is (still) one of the world's major economic powers. Thanks to oil, and not only. This is well known, and there is no need for further details. Like any highly developed state, its armed forces are structured to match. With 247,000 active-duty personnel and an additional 150,000 paramilitary forces (there are no reservists), 917 aircraft (including 283 fighter jets), 1,085 tanks, over 1,200 heavy artillery pieces, and 32 warships, backed by an annual budget of over 63 billion USD, the country can be considered a regional military power. In fact, in the ranking published by Global Firepower, it ranks 25th out of 145 nations. [1] The numbers speak for themselves. No explanations are needed. Let's look at a neighbor. The United Arab Emirates. 65,000 active-duty personnel, 130,000 reservists, and 12,000 in paramilitary formations, 581 aircraft (including 99 fighter jets), 354 tanks, 300 heavy artillery pieces, and 84 ...
Post a Comment
Read more
  US INTERVENTION IN IRAN – A STRATEGIC TRAP?            I will begin with a straightforward question: what is the current state of affairs in Venezuela? Following the US-Israeli intervention in Iran, this Latin American nation has slipped off the geopolitical radar. Nonetheless, it remains a subject of interest .           Subsequent to the apprehension of the Venezuelan president on the night of January 2-3, 2026, by US special forces during a domestic military incursion, the United States has sustained its naval presence in the region to exert military pressure on the Venezuelan administration [1] . Despite Washington's recognition of the interim government, the continued deployment of significant military assets suggests that the primary objectives remain unfulfilled. Effectively, the state continues to be led by members of the previous regime. It is possible that they are now undergoing a strategic shif...
Post a Comment
Read more
  IRAN: SUMMARY        We are not talking about history. We are talking about current events. We are witnessing the most profound changes since the early 1990s.           Let's make a brief effort of memory. Let's remember what was happening in Iran between January and February 2026. This year. Not much time has passed. At that time, the ayatollahs' regime was on its last legs. Everything was clear. The massive devaluation of the national currency, bankruptcies, crisis, protest demonstrations across the country, often violent, with significant destruction. The security forces were no longer capable of containing them. On the contrary, police officers were being killed in the streets and police stations were set on fire. Nothing could stop the process of change anymore. It was a natural consequence of years of economic sanctions and external pressures of all kinds. And the country's leaders were accused of mismanaging ...
Post a Comment
Read more