A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA, assigned to the Royal Saudi Air Force Weapons School, lands in preparation of Red Flag-Nellis 22-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, March 1, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
On July 26, the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced that an F-15SA fighter jet of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) had crashed in the kingdom’s southwestern province of ‘Asir.
Brigadier General Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the MoD, said in a statement that the fighter jet crashed during a training mission in King Khalid Air Base’s training area near the city of Khamis Mushait.
“The accident resulted in the martyrdom of the aircrew, may Allah have mercy on them, and may He accept them as righteous martyrs. We ask Allah to grant their families and relatives patience and acceptance,” the spokesman said.
An investigation committee has commenced its proceedings to unfold the reasons behind this accident, Brig. Gen. al-Malki added.
The fighter jet was likely from the RSAF’s 6th or 55th squadrons, the only two formations at King Khalid Air Base that operate the F-15SA.
The F-15SA, which was especially developed for the RSAF by McDonnell Douglas, is the first version of the F-15 to have the new fly-by-wire flight control system. The fighter jet is equipped with an AESA radar, digital electronic warfare systems, an infrared search and track system and a completely digitized cockpit.
Last year, the RSAF lost two of its F-15s to non combat related incidents. On August 25, an F-15C/D reportedly crashed near King Fahad Air Base near Taif city in the western province of Makkah. Later on November 7, a F-15S fell as a result of a technical malfunction during a routine training mission over the training ground of King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern province.
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