Saudi Royal Marines / Royal Saudi Marines /
Royal Saudi Marine Forces
The Saudi military is divided into army, air force, navy, and air defense forces. The Saudi marines, based at Ras al-Mirat, serve as part of the navy. The Royal Saudi Navy has grown considerably, from 6,000 personnel in the 1980s to approximately 15,500-17,000 in 2009, including 3,000-4,500 Marines. The marines are organized into one infantry regiment [1st Brigade] with two battalions. Janes reports that Saudi Arabia has 3,000 personnel grouped in the 1st Marine Regiment, consisting of the 1st Marine Battalion and the 2nd Marine Battalion, and that the Regiment has doubled in strength since 1991.
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is out?tted with an assortment of westem equipment. Not wanting to become heavily dependent on a single supplier, the RSNF has diversified its procurement of ships. The US government, with extensive United States Military Training Mission [USMTM] management and coordination effort, has provided corvettes, minesweepers, and an assortment of smaller craft. France equipped the RSNF with frigates and helicopters, Britain with minesweepers, and Spain with amphibious craft. Estimates differ on Saudi landing craft, because of different ways to count operational status. Some experts put the figure at 6LCMs and 2 LCUs. A wide range of civilian ships, including small craft and ferries, can easily be adapted for, or used as is, for such missions.
Janes reports that asd of 2010 the regiment is equipped with 140 BMR-600P 6×6 amphibious Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Al-Fahd APCs - an 8×8 amphibious armored vehicle produced by the Saudi concern Abdallah al-Faris & Co Heavy Industries, not the Egyptian APC of the same name. The Regiment is also equipped with, among a wide range of personnel weapons, the HK MP5 9 mm SMG as well as the M16 5.56 mm assault rifle with M203 grenade launcher and the M2HB 12.7 mm Browning HMG.
Other sources state that Saudi Arabia has 200 Spanish Pegaso BMR with the Marines. The BMR-600 (Blindado Medio de Ruedas) is a six-wheeled light armored vehicle manufactured in Spain under French license. The vehicle was developed and produced by Pegaso [spanish for Pegasus], now Iveco. In 1972 the Spanish Army fixed the tactical and technical requirements for a wheeled armored vehicle for the transport and movement of a squad of infantry to and in the battle zone. Designed by the Commission of Development of Armored Vehicles, the Army, and the Direction of Projects of ENASA, the prototype the Pegaso BMR-600 was evaluated over four years and entered production in 1979, with versions for personnel, mortar carriers of 81 and 120 mm, recovery-repair and ambulance. The BMR was exported to Saudi Arabia and Egypt and employed effectively in real situation as much by the Saudi forces during the campaign of Kuwait of 1991 and by the Spanish troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania.
"Pig" is the Infidel’s irreverent terminology for the Saudi Arabian Marine Corps six wheeled amphibious armored cars. They are similar to the U.S. Marines’ LAAV with one less set of wheels. They come in a variety of flavors from standard mounting a .50 caliber M2 Machine Gun, to a medical version (an armored amphibious ambulance), a communication and command version, etc. The British often refer to their armored cars (in England) as “Pigs” and having an evil sense of humor, the Americans picked up the terminology as a way to yank the Saudi’s chain(s) knowing their aversion to swine.
The Saudi Marines could play an important role in Saudi maritime protection. The marines are stationed at Ras al-Mirat and are equipped with 140 amphibious armored personnel carriers (APCs) capable of protecting Saudi Arabia’s coastal and offshore oil infrastructure. The marines are being trained for counter-terrorism missions as well as asymmetric warfare, but the Royal Saudi Marines are distinct from the Royal Saudi Naval Special Forces. American SEALs have trained Royal Saudi Navy and Royal Saudi Marines in small unit tactics, first-aid, and unconventional warfare.
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