Royal Saudi Particular Safety Forces

The elite Particular Safety Forces (SSF) are a part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of the Inside tasked with combating terrorism, experiences Bob Morrison.

On the latest World Protection Present in Saudi Arabia, held at a brand new exhibition centre about 40 miles (65km) north of Riyadh, the Kingdom’s Particular Safety Forces (SSF) deliberate to put on a dynamic show of their capabilities with over 200 operators taking part. Nevertheless, as any good soldier is aware of, no plan survives first contact with the enemy….. and on this case the enemy turned out to be the climate.

The target within the desert, full with synthetic creek and simulated shingle seashore within the foreground ~ this photograph was taken within the temporary eye of the storm besides the air is heavy with mud [© Bob Morrison]

On the Friday evening previous to the defence expo commencing central Saudi Arabia was struck by an enormous sandstorm, which locals say was very uncommon for early March, and it might be the next Tuesday afternoon earlier than follow-on excessive winds ultimately cleared the mud from the air; certainly round midday that day the winds had been so sturdy that simply strolling upright on the airfield apron was difficult. Because it had been meant to not solely run an air show at this inaugural Saudi defence expo, which has a full runway alongside the expo centre, but in addition to contain parachute and helicopter insertion in the course of the SSF show the dearth of a horizon coupled with peacetime security laws curtailed the motion; although throughout a short Tuesday afternoon climate window the RSAF ‘Saudi Hawks’ managed to mount an aerobatic show.

The advanced was occupied by quite a lot of armed insurgents, seen right here as they retreated contained in the buildings [© Bob Morrison]

Again to the Saturday afternoon. Forward of the official opening, regardless of the air being stuffed with mud, the SSF ran a decreased scope gown rehearsal of the deliberate show with none heliborne or parachute involvement, and happily I used to be capable of snap part of this motion. Had the principle show gone forward as meant, from Sunday to Tuesday it was my intention to have been within the press sections of the grandstand to {photograph} proceedings from higher vantage factors, however at the least these restricted gown rehearsal pictures taken at floor stage from one of many forming up factors enable us to see a few of these elite operators and the automobiles at their disposal.

An SSF advance group slipped ashore at ‘first mild’ and took down the perimeter guards [© Bob Morrison]

The meant show situation concerned a Special Forces assault on a coastal hamlet (full with momentary water function created only for the demo) the place an rebel terrorist cell had gone to floor. Each ‘black’ and ‘camo’ SSF squadrons took half together with a maritime unit; the latter approached over the ‘seashore’. After taking down or overpowering most of terrorists, the operators captured the chief of their group who was making an attempt to flee the scene on an all-terrain car with a hostage driving; a K9 group was in the end chargeable for stopping his escape.

Heliborne (notional due to the poor visibility) and vehicle-borne groups assaulted the hamlet
[© Bob Morrison]

Black assault groups swooped in from the other aspect to seize higher flooring the place the rebel chief had established a command centre [© Bob Morrison]

Whereas the battle was raging the rebel chief (pink high) tried to flee on a quad with a hostage (white high) driving however an SSF K9 group captured him [© Bob Morrison]

The operators had been on a excessive afterwards as even with out the air property the rehearsal went and not using a hitch ~ sadly the principle shows would later be cancelled [© Bob Morrison]

There may be not a lot official info obtainable on the present SSF construction, however the Saudi Ministry of the Inside states that the Particular Safety Forces are involved with: combating terrorist operations in all their types; with intervening in armed riots; and with defending VIPs. The drive additionally works to offer air safety, presumably undercover sky marshals, for the Saudi Arabian airways fleet.

In short follow-on options I plan to look in a little bit extra depth at a few the automobiles utilized by the SSF and likewise at their distinctive disruptive sample camouflage sample.