• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Saudi Royal Marines - Recent Developments

Janes reports that as of 2010 are commando trained. Saudi marines trained under the tutelage of Booz-Allen & Hamilton. And it is common practice for ships of the French Marine Nationale when they passed Jeddah to hold training exercises with Saudi Marines.

Janes reports that a diving school for training naval commandos was opened in December 2002 in the region of Ras al-Ghar. Recruits are trained in-country although some technical officers and senior non-commissioned officers are trained in France and the United Kingdom.

In July 2005 approximately 200 Marines and Sailors from the 26th MEU (SOC) Battalion Landing Team 2nd Bn., 8th Marines, the ground combat element for the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), deployed into Saudi Arabia in June. Their mission was to conduct a one-month series of training events aimed at increasing the cohesive effectiveness of US and Saudi Marines.

In April 2009 UK Ships and Royal Marines took part in Ex Red Alligator, a biliteral maritime and amphibious training exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The exercise, took place during the Taurus 09 deployment comprised training at sea and ashore for the Royal Navy's Amphibious Task Group, including 40 Commando Royal Marines and 539 ASRM and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Navy, Marines and airborne forces. The aim of the exercise was to enhance interoperability, develop capacity and promote information exchange.

In November 2009 Yemeni rebels (the Houthis) aired a YouTube video showing Saudi marines they recently captured in the ongoing fighting they had been engaging in with Saudi forces for five weeks. The video showed three Saudi marines who were not named but appeared injured and receiving treatment. Saudi Marines were taking control of the 64km-long coastline between Jaizan and Mausem towns to prevent potential infiltration of militants into Saudi territory. Sergeants Khalid Saleh Omer and Ahmed Abdullah Muhammad Al-Amri, from Saudi Marines, left Sana'a to Saudi Arabia on 09 February 2010. Their release came under the ceasefire between the army and the rebels. The rebels handed days earlier the third captive Marine, demonstrating their commitment to the ceasefire that ended a six-year war in Saada.