Should Saudi Arabia buy an aircraft carrier?

[Philip the Arab]

Saudi Arabia is vying for regional power in the Middle East right now and to show their dominance should they buy an aircraft carrier even if it is a smaller one? The America-class amphibious assault ship is a helicopter carrier that doubles as an marine landing craft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America-class_amphibious_assault_ship. Currently 1 ship has been built and 11 are being planned for the future. The ship can carry at full fighter jet load either 20 F-35Bs or 20 Av-8 harrier jump jets, keep in mind both of the planes are STOVL and don't really need that much space to take off. An assortment of helicopters can be carried such as V-22,CH-53,UH-1Y,AH-1Z, and MH-60S helicopters the last of which Saudi Arabia operates to my knowledge. I think the only viable option for Saudi Arabia would be to buy either new built Harrier Jump Jets or try to get F-35B in the near future. If they could assemble a carrier strike group consisting of two of their Al Riyadh-class frigates which would be an effective anti-air escort, they could then use 2 Al Madinah-class frigates or buy a destroyer from the U.S. or another country such as the Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer or FREMM-class which could also be classed as a destroyer and which only one would be needed as the British only operate one destroyer in their carrier strike group. The last major thing they would need would be to buy a submarine or two from France to use in the group. I'm not sure if this would work but it would be very expensive if Saudi Arabia did do it maybe in the 10's of billions with each carrier costing 3.4 billion each. Some news sources are also saying the U.S. should do the same thing in regards to replacing the very big aircraft carrier with a much smaller but still capable one. If someone could please tell me if my opinion is correct or if they disagree with me I would appreciate it.

 

[PakSarzameen5823]

No, their naval fleet isn't anywhere near strong enough to defend such a heavy investment.

 

[Persian Gulf 1906]

LOL

 

[Philip the Arab]

LOL

That's all you answer? Really bro you could have at least had a real answer. You iranians

No, their naval fleet isn't anywhere near strong enough to defend such a heavy investment.

How do you mean? Keep the fleet in the west if they need to. All they would need would be Anti-Air which would be provided by the Aster-15 and Aster-30 from the Al Riyadh class frigate. The anti-submarine would be provided by helicopters held on the aircraft carrier and on the Type 45 destroyer and the Frigates. The anti-missile would be from CIWS and other smaller missiles. I think they could defend the fleet if they needed to. Tell me how do you think it could be attacked

 

[drmeson]

No need. No use.

 

[Philip the Arab]

No need. No use.

There is a use though. It provides a attack capability from the sea closer to Iranian cities than some of their bases are located and flying in from a different position such as from Pakistani waters and attacking Iranian locations with the F-35B or Harrier jets.

 

[T-123456]

How do you mean? Keep the fleet in the west if they need to. All they would need would be Anti-Air which would be provided by the Aster-15 and Aster-30 from the Al Riyadh class frigate. The anti-submarine would be provided by helicopters held on the aircraft carrier and on the Type 45 destroyer and the Frigates. The anti-missile would be from CIWS and other smaller missiles. I think they could defend the fleet if they needed to. Tell me how do you think it could be attacked

And where are the subs?

 

[BHarwana]

Saudis should not buy a carrier and pay billions more to USA. Instead they should try to build one them selves. This is much better option. But I doubt Saudis will ever go down the path of air ship carrier.

 

[PakSarzameen5823]

How do you mean?

They haven't got enough ships to guarantee it's safety while also defending the Saudi coastline. They don't even have submarines.

They could buy all of this stuff, but it's a useless investment since they have no need to project power. What Saudi Arabia should invest in is better training for all branches of their armed forces as well as submarines.

 

[Philip the Arab]

And where are the subs?

They could buy some from France. I think it would take a number of years to assemble the whole group but it would be possible but I know Saudi Arabia could afford it.

 

[PakSarzameen5823]

It provides a attack capability from the sea closer to Iranian cities than some of their bases are located.

Iran is right next door, that's not going to be an advantage.

flying in from a different position such as from Pakistani waters and attacking Iranian locations with the F-35B or Harrier jets.

An aircraft carrier isn't needed for that. They can just use PAF bases.

 

[Philip the Arab]

Saudis should not buy a carrier and pay billions more to USA. Instead they should try to build one them selves. This is much better option. But I doubt Saudis will ever go down the path of air ship carrier.

You know how hard it is to build one? China took like 20 some years to commission their ship and they didn't fully build it even it was bought 68% built from Ukraine.

Iran is right next door, that's not going to be an advantage.



An aircraft carrier isn't needed for that. They can just use PAF bases.

Pakistan would want to keep a favorable relationship with Iran I think. They don't know who would win right away so they might stay neutral.

Iran is right next door, that's not going to be an advantage.



An aircraft carrier isn't needed for that. They can just use PAF bases.

It would be an advantage because they can attack different sides of the country such as the eastern part without being detected as easily if launched from a sea facing the eastern part they can fly from.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Saudi Arabia is vying for regional power in the Middle East right now and to show their dominance should they buy an aircraft carrier even if it is a smaller one? The America-class amphibious assault ship is a helicopter carrier that doubles as an marine landing craft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America-class_amphibious_assault_ship. Currently 1 ship has been built and 11 are being planned for the future. The ship can carry at full fighter jet load either 20 F-35Bs or 20 Av-8 harrier jump jets, keep in mind both of the planes are STOVL and don't really need that much space to take off. An assortment of helicopters can be carried such as V-22,CH-53,UH-1Y,AH-1Z, and MH-60S helicopters the last of which Saudi Arabia operates to my knowledge. I think the only viable option for Saudi Arabia would be to buy either new built Harrier Jump Jets or try to get F-35B in the near future. If they could assemble a carrier strike group consisting of two of their Al Riyadh-class frigates which would be an effective anti-air escort, they could then use 2 Al Madinah-class frigates or buy a destroyer from the U.S. or another country such as the Arleigh-Burke-class destroyer or FREMM-class which could also be classed as a destroyer and which only one would be needed as the British only operate one destroyer in their carrier strike group. The last major thing they would need would be to buy a submarine or two from France to use in the group. I'm not sure if this would work but it would be very expensive if Saudi Arabia did do it maybe in the 10's of billions with each carrier costing 3.4 billion each. Some news sources are also saying the U.S. should do the same thing in regards to replacing the very big aircraft carrier with a much smaller but still capable one. If someone could please tell me if my opinion is correct or if they disagree with me I would appreciate it.

yes it is a good power projection. they got big sea front and global interests to defend along the sea routes specially when oil is their main export.

this should be multi stage process of course as aircraft carrier cant be defended or deployed on its own. in order to reach that they need to build the navy assets that support the air craft carrier and they have the funds and the political clout and favors of the west to achieve that

 

[Philip the Arab]

They haven't got enough ships to guarantee it's safety while also defending the Saudi coastline. They don't even have submarines.

They could buy all of this stuff, but it's a useless investment since they have no need to project power. What Saudi Arabia should invest in is better training for all branches of their armed forces as well as submarines.

They might have to project power in the future. You don't actually know as both of us have a lack of foresight. For example they might need to support a country in a war that isn't actually near them and if they could project power like that would make them the superpower of the middle east with no doubt.

 

[UKBengali]

Saudis should not buy a carrier and pay billions more to USA. Instead they should try to build one them selves. This is much better option. But I doubt Saudis will ever go down the path of air ship carrier.

Saudis are in no position to build an aircraft carrier.