Country profile · SD Strength Index
Saudi Arabia Military Strength 2026
Score by area
| Air power | 26 | |
| Missiles & strike | 13 | |
| Air & missile defence | 39 | |
| Sea power | 20 | |
| Land forces | 40 | |
| Manpower | 42 | |
| Budget & industry | 29 |
Armed forces in 2026
Key figures
As of 2026-10| Defence budget | 64–78 $bn | B |
| Share of GDP | 7.1 % | B |
| Active personnel | 225k–280k | C |
| Reserves | 0 | C |
| Combat aircraft | 300–350 | C |
| Fifth-generation fighters | 0 | A |
| Attack helicopters | 80 | B |
| All military aircraft | 900 | C |
| Main battle tanks | 600–900 | C |
| Rocket artillery | 60 | C |
| Aircraft carriers | 0 | A |
| Destroyers | 0 | A |
| Frigates | 7 | B |
| Submarines | 0 | A |
| Longest missile range | 1,700–2,800 km | C |
| Long-range air-defence batteries | 18–26 | C |
| Nuclear warheads | 0 | A |
A confirmed B strong estimate C estimated range
Main equipment
| Equipment | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| F-15SA / F-15S upgraded to SA | 140–154 | B |
| F-15C/D | 40–70 | C |
| Eurofighter Typhoon | 68–72 | B |
| Tornado IDS | 50–80 | C |
| AH-64D/E Apache | 60–90 | C |
| Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T / PAC-3 MSE | 18–24 | C |
| THAAD | 1–2 | B |
| Cheongung II (KM-SAM Block II, 'SA-MSAM') | 0 | B |
| M1A2S Abrams | 374–575 | C |
| Wing Loong I/II and CH-4B | 30–60 | C |
| Bayraktar Akinci | 1–20 | C |
| DF-21 (reported) / domestic DF-15-class (suspected) | — | C |
| Avante 2200 (Al Jubail class) corvettes | 4–5 | B |
| Al Riyadh (La Fayette mod) / Al Madinah frigates | 6–7 | B |
| MMSC (Freedom-class derivative, Tuwaiq project) | 0 | B |
How strong is the Saudi military in 2026?
Saudi Arabia buys at scale. The 2026 budget sets aside about SAR 240bn for the military, roughly $64bn, and actual spending in the first half ran 12 per cent above 2025. The 2025 allocation was larger still, about $78bn or 7.1 per cent of GDP.
The Royal Saudi Air Force flies around 150 F-15SA standard Eagles, counting 84 new builds and the rebuilt F-15S fleet. Alongside them are 72 Eurofighter Typhoons, an estimated 50 to 80 Tornado strike jets and 40 to 70 older F-15C/Ds. The army has an estimated 600 to 900 tanks built around several hundred M1A2S Abrams. Regular forces number an estimated 225,000 to 280,000, and the National Guard adds 100,000 to 130,000 more.
Does Saudi Arabia have F-35s?
Not yet. Washington cleared 48 F-35As worth $24.3bn on 17 September 2026, but no contract has been signed and deliveries are years away. Until then the F-15SA carries the load. It is a capable strike fighter, and it cannot match the survivability of the F-35s Israel already flies.
Thirteen tankers and five airborne early warning aircraft give the air force reach and eyes. Chinese Wing Loong and CH-4 drones and Turkish Akinci round out the fleet, in numbers Riyadh does not publish.
How good are Saudi air and missile defences?
This is where the kingdom is most exposed. Its Patriot force is estimated at 18 to 26 batteries, and the last open count dates from 2014. Only one of the seven THAAD batteries ordered in 2017 is in service, commissioned at Jeddah in July 2025. Ten Korean Cheongung II batteries are not expected before about 2028.
Houthi drones and missiles keep burning through interceptors. In January 2026 Washington approved 730 more PAC-3 MSE rounds for about $9bn. Expensive missiles are still being spent on cheap drones.
Is Saudi Arabia at war in 2026?
In Yemen, yes. In July 2026 the Houthis declared a naval blockade on the kingdom and resumed attacks on Saudi territory, claiming strikes on Najran, Jizan, Taif and Yanbu. The wave on 8 September was the heaviest since fighting reignited. The Houthis also claim to have downed Saudi drones and an F-15 over Marib in September, which Riyadh has not confirmed. Saudi strikes on Sanaa have been reported in return.
The kingdom is also reported to hold Chinese ballistic missiles, possibly the DF-21, with a range estimated at 1,700 to 2,800 km. Satellite imagery shows the Al-Dawadimi missile complex enlarged, possibly for production at home. Neither the stock nor its readiness is public.
Who protects Saudi Arabia?
Two outside powers. A 2025 Strategic Defence Agreement and a framework arms package valued at about $142bn tie the kingdom to the United States. In September 2025 it also signed a mutual defence pact with Pakistan, which holds an estimated 170 nuclear warheads.
At home, national firms took 27.3 per cent of military spending in 2025, and Saudi plants assemble armour, Akinci drones and THAAD parts. No major weapon is designed in the kingdom.
Where does Saudi Arabia rank in the Middle East?
Second, behind Israel, and the strongest Gulf Arab state by a wide margin over the UAE and Qatar. It beats Turkey clearly on air defence. Turkey has the bigger army and navy and builds far more of its own weapons. Until more THAAD batteries are fielded and the F-35 contract is signed, the kingdom stays a rich buyer that depends on foreign technicians.
Combat record and readiness
Led the Yemen intervention from 2015 to the 2022 truce. Fighting with the Houthis resumed in July 2026, with Saudi strikes on Sanaa and Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities. The Houthis claim to have downed an F-15 in September 2026, which Riyadh has not confirmed.
Assembles armoured vehicles, ammunition and Akinci drones under licence through SAMI, and is localising THAAD components. It designs no major platforms of its own. Local content reached an estimated 27% of military spending in 2025, against a 50% target for 2030.
Flies modern US and European fleets, but F-15 and Typhoon upkeep depends on foreign contractors. Houthi attacks keep burning interceptors, and 730 PAC-3 MSE were cleared for sale in January 2026. Only one of seven THAAD batteries is in service and the Tornado fleet is old.
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Questions readers ask
Does Saudi Arabia have a strong military?
Yes. It ranks second in the Middle East on the Silent Dossier index, behind Israel. Its 2026 military budget is about $64bn, and its fleet of F-15s, Typhoons and Abrams tanks is large and modern. Reliance on foreign contractors and thin missile defence are the weak points.
Does Saudi Arabia have fighter jets?
Yes. It flies around 150 F-15SA standard Eagles, 72 Eurofighter Typhoons, older F-15C/Ds and Tornado strike jets. Forty-eight F-35As were cleared for sale in September 2026, but none has been ordered under contract.
Who protects Saudi Arabia?
The United States, through a 2025 Strategic Defence Agreement and large arms packages, is the main guarantor. Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact with the kingdom in September 2025, and Saudi Arabia is a member of the GCC.
Does Saudi Arabia have nuclear weapons?
No. It is reported to hold Chinese ballistic missiles and may be preparing to build its own, but the numbers are undisclosed.
How many tanks does Saudi Arabia have?
Silent Dossier estimates 600 to 900 main battle tanks, built around several hundred M1A2S Abrams. Older M60A3 and AMX-30 tanks are partly in storage, and about 300 more Abrams were agreed in principle in May 2025.