As Exercise Cobra Warrior kicked off, I had the opportunity to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Faisal, Deputy Detachment Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force group.
He discussed the significance of this exercise for Saudi Arabia, the historical relationship between the Kingdom and the United Kingdom, and the benefits of training in a different and challenging environment.
Lieutenant Colonel Faisal began by highlighting the warm reception from the Royal Air Force and the deep-rooted ties between the two nations:
“First of all, let me thank our colleagues in the Royal Air Force for the warm welcoming and generosity that they’ve shown us. We felt right at home. I think our presence today here [represents] historical relationships between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
He also underscored the months of planning that both air forces invested in aligning systems and enhancing coordination:
“We’ve been planning a lot through the past months, just to align our…systems and to enhance our coordinations between the Royal Saudi Air Force and the Royal Air Force.”
Highlighting his anticipation for the exercise, Faisal expressed enthusiasm for the opportunities it offers:
“Looking forward to [starting] the Cobra Warrior 25 and I think it’s going to be great. I think seeing…all of the participants working hand in hand, flying…wingtip, [and] gain[ing] a lot of knowledge, and exchanging that knowledge is really important in our field.”
Asked about the difference in flying conditions compared to those at home, Faisal noted how exercising in the UK provides valuable exposure to complex scenarios:
“I think the main point of coming here is just to experience different environments, and I think also our colleagues at the Royal Air Force [are] doing [a] great job making the environment quite challenging and complex, to push our limitations and to gain as much as we can from [the] experience. It’s quite different than home…”
Such environments, he suggested, are essential for developing skills that can be applied back in Saudi Arabia, ensuring that both air forces expand their operational understanding and can collaborate more effectively in the future.
As the exercise unfolds, Lieutenant Colonel Faisal’s eagerness for ‘Cobra Warrior 25’ reflects the Royal Saudi Air Force’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Royal Air Force and other participating nations.
The challenging environment, coupled with months of preparation and mutual respect, promises a wealth of knowledge exchange and practical experience—all of which will bolster both nations’ readiness for future missions and deepen an already longstanding partnership.
Presumably might be an opportunity for debrief on the RAF missions to strike the Hootie capabilities in Yemen if not done already, since the Saudi/Yemen conflict Operation Restoring Hope is ongoing.
Perhaps there are differences in what F15SA and Typhoon can do..
Perhaps there are interoperability learnings from RAF working with US ISTAR support, assuming that continues because free trade remains a US national interest..
Tempest would make a fine replacement for those old F15’s…. just sayin !
It’s good to see the UK focusing on mutual interest in the western Indian Ocean, it’s a very important region for our future security.
I know the Morals of Saudi don’t quite match with ours, but geopolitical friendship or mutual interest should transcend that argument I’m afraid. We are long past the west being some sort of moral police force and we need to support the more secular Muslim nations that share some mutual interest with us, even if their methods will offend our sensibilities. The thing to remember is when we had our back to the wall we were just the same.
It’s a shame we seem to be giving up territory in the Eastern Indian Ocean and seemingly having to pay so much for the privilege. Can’t get my head around the Chagos thing.
Simple solution to them to stick it and then just cede it to the US in exchange for a decent FTA ! Let them try getting money out of Trump.
To be honest that’s what I would do, we really have no national interest in those islands and infact it’s a geopolitical hassle we have kept for the US. I don’t think any previous US administration would have taken sovereignty as they liked us essentially taking the shit for their airbase, but I think Trump likes to own things so it’s an opportunity to just offload and get a concession from the US in return.
As much as i see that and respect your opinion, I just don’t see any strategic or economic reason to hand them over, especially given the costs involved. Next we will be giving away Pitcairn and Tristan De Cunha. ( non strategic but geolocational assets ).
Who’s side are the USAF on? Friendlies or bogey?
It’s not the entire population, just a few Hedonistic ego’s and their Acolytes, It’s another passing phase in the short history of the colonial embarrassment.