Saudi Arabia, a formidable force in the Middle East, invests its oil revenues into a modernized military arsenal. According to the Global Firepower (GFP) Index 2025, Saudi Arabia's military power ranks 24th globally. Let's delve into Saudi Arabia's full military capacity, its weapons inventory, and the dynamics of its cooperation with Pakistan. Could Saudi match Turkey's utility for Pakistan?
GFP provides a comprehensive evaluation of the military strengths of 145 countries, utilizing over 60 metrics, including troop numbers, weaponry, economic health, geography, and logistics. Saudi Arabia boasts a Power Index (PwrIndx) score of 0.4201, with smaller scores indicating greater power. Saudi's active military budget ranks within the top five globally, constituting nearly 9% of its GDP. Let's examine the crucial statistics...
Also Read:
Source: aajtak
Total Personnel: 350,000 (Active: 225,000; Reserve: 125,000). Entire Population: 35 million.
Tanks: 1,055 (315 M1A2 Abrams, 450 M60A3, 290 AMX-30).
Armored Vehicles: 8,200+ (400 M2 Bradley IFVs, 3,000+ M113 APCs, 570+ AMX-10P).
Artillery: 1,100+ (110 self-propelled, 200+ towed, 60 multiple rocket launchers).
Anti-Tank Missiles: Over 2,000
Mortars: 400
Also Read:
Fighter Jets: Over 300 (81 F-15SA, 72 Eurofighter Typhoons, 81 Tornado IDS).
Attack Helicopters: 12 (Apache AH-64).
Transport Helicopters: Over 50
Air Defense: Over 1,000 surface-to-air missiles (Patriot, THAAD systems).
Total Aircraft: 1,106 (including 349 fighters/interceptors).
Frigates: 7
Corvettes: 4
Patrol Vessels: 59
Mine Warfare: 3
Total Naval Assets: Over 90
Strategic Missile Forces:
10 surface-to-surface missiles (Chinese DF-21 ballistic missiles).
Source: aajtak
Economic Status:
With a military budget exceeding $75 billion, Saudi Arabia remains the largest arms importer globally. Key suppliers include the US (F-15, Patriot), UK (Typhoon), France (AMX-30), and China (missiles).
Nuclear Capabilities:
Officially, there are no nuclear weapons acquisitions. Although speculations about cooperation with Pakistan exist, GFP classifies Saudi Arabia as a non-nuclear nation.
Saudi Arabia's strength hinges on modern weapons and US alliance, yet it lags behind Iran (ranked 14th) in numbers. Within the Middle East, it's the third most potent military (after Israel and Iran).
Also Read:
Saudi Arabia commands one of the world's most modern and costly militaries. With a $142 billion US arms deal in 2025 (May), Saudi gains a new wave of armaments. Key acquisitions include...
Tanks and Armored Vehicles:
M1A2 Abrams (US, 315), M60A3 (450), AMX-30 (French, 290). IFVs: M2 Bradley (400), AMX-10P (570). APCs: M113 (3,000+), Al-Fahd (100, indigenous).
Artillery and Missiles:
M109 self-propelled guns (110), M270 MLRS (60). Anti-Tank: TOW missiles (2,000+). Surface-to-Air: Patriot PAC-3 (US), THAAD (included in the new deal).
Source: aajtak
Air Force Assets:
F-15SA Strike Eagle (81, American), Eurofighter Typhoon (72, British-European), Tornado (81, Italian-British). Drones: MQ-9B Reaper (part of the new deal). Helicopters: Apache AH-64 (12 attack), Black Hawk UH-60 (50 transport).
Naval Weapons: Frigates:
Al-Madinah Class (4), Saw-Seepek (3).
Corvettes:
Avwad (4). Patrol Boats: 59. Antiship Missiles: Harpoon.
Strategic Weapons:
DF-21 ballistic missiles (Chinese, 10). Small arms include M16, AK-47, G3 rifles.
New Acquisitions (2025):
The $142 billion US deal potentially includes F-35 jets, C-130J transports, MQ-9B drones, THAAD missile defense, and C4ISR (Command-Control Systems). Contributors are Lockheed Martin, Boeing, RTX, among others.
These armaments majorly originate from the US (70%), Europe, and China, with Saudi as the largest arms importer globally.
Military relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been robust since 1960. Saudi is one of Pakistan's closest Middle Eastern allies. However, the support dynamics differ with Turkey—Turkey sold arms to Pakistan (such as MILGEM ships, T129 helicopters), engaged in joint production (SIPRI), and offered political backing on Kashmir. The trilateral Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi Defense Collaboration launched in 2023-2024. Can Saudi match Turkey's assistance? Let's unravel...
Also Read:
History:
A defense protocol was signed in 1967. In 1982, a new agreement saw Pakistani troops deployed in Saudi (15,000-20,000 in the '80s-'90s). During the Yemen War (2015), Pakistan provided advisors. A 'Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement' set to be signed in September 2025 will strengthen economic, military, and intelligence ties.
Weapons and Training:
Saudi offers training to Pakistani officers, and in return, Pakistan provides Saudi with military advisors and training.
Joint Exercises:
'Al-Samsam' (since 2015). Saudi granted Pakistan financial aid ($5 billion+ in loans) assisting in military acquisitions.
Source: aajtak
Nuclear Suspicion:
Allegations of Saudi acquiring nukes from Pakistan exist without confirmation.
The 2023 Riyadh trilateral meeting agreed upon R&D, technology transfer, and resource sharing. Saudi provides Pakistan with discounted oil, bolstering its economy.
Turkey supplied modern arms: MILGEM corvettes (4 ordered), T129 ATAK helicopters, Bayraktar TB2 drones.
Joint Production: Super Mushshak trainer.
Political: Support in the UN on Kashmir. The 2024 High-Level Military Dialogue Group expected collaborations. Saudi support leans more on economic aid and training, with limited arms sales. However, the 2025 deal might lead to indirect support for Pakistan (in the trilateral context). Similar to Turkey, Saudi might provide arms if threats like Iran or Yemen escalate.
Indeed, Saudi may help differently. While Turkey offers technical transfers (indigenous weapons), Saudi concentrates on economic and military deployments. The trilateral framework may enhance Saudi's assistance to Pakistan, like collaborative R&D. Yet, Saudi's political backing (e.g., Kashmir issues) falls short compared to Turkey's. All in all, Saudi acts as Pakistan's 'big brother,' offering support as significant, if not more, than Turkey in times of need.
