UK Deploys RAF Typhoon Jets to Saudi Arabia, Deepening Century-Old Military Ties Amidst Houthi Threats

The United Kingdom has announced the deployment of Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets to aid Saudi Arabia in defending against missile and drone attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that these jets will serve a purely defensive purpose and will not engage in offensive actions against the Iranian-backed group. This decision arrives during a period of intense conflict between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which receives support from Saudi Arabia. Recent weeks have seen the Houthis target Saudi infrastructure, including oil facilities and Riyadh’s main airport, while the Saudi-led coalition has conducted airstrikes on Houthi positions.

The UK’s commitment to supplying these jets to Saudi Arabia represents the latest development in a military partnership that spans over a century, originating from a treaty signed during the First World War, predating the establishment of the Saudi kingdom itself. The UK is providing fighter jets, an A400M transport aircraft, and military advisors. Additionally, the MoD is extending its provision of air-to-air refuelling services, previously agreed upon for Saudi air operations, including those aimed at degrading Houthi military targets in Yemen.

The historical roots of the UK-Saudi relationship trace back to December 1915, when Sir Percy Cox, a British official in the Gulf, signed the Treaty of Darin with King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, then the ruler of Nejd. This alliance saw King Abdulaziz align with Britain against the Ottoman Empire, with Britain offering financial and military backing. A subsequent treaty was signed in Jeddah in May 1927. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded by King Abdulaziz in 1932.

Significant UK-Saudi arms deals commenced in the 1960s. In May 1966, Saudi Arabia contracted to purchase 40 Lightning fighter jets and 25 jet trainers from the British Aircraft Corporation, along with a radar system. The conflict in Yemen was already a factor at this time, following a military coup in 1962 that established the Yemen Arab Republic. Egypt supported the republican government, while Saudi Arabia and Jordan backed royalist factions. By 1966, the civil war had reached a stalemate. Concurrently, Britain faced internal rebellions in Aden and southern Yemen. In 1966, Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, Prince Sultan, requested UK assistance in supplying an RAF fighter squadron to operate under Saudi colours should fighting in Yemen escalate. Britain proposed supplying fighter jets flown by British pilots and offered an RAF squadron of Lightning interceptors for a temporary deployment. Saudi Arabia accepted the jets and civilian pilots, rendering the RAF squadron unnecessary.

BAE Systems, tracing its ties with Saudi Arabia back to 1966, became the prime contractor following a memorandum of understanding signed by both governments in 1973. The 1980s saw the landmark Al-Yamamah deal in 1985, an oil-for-arms agreement for Tornado and Hawk jets, described by Reuters as the largest export contracts in British history. Saudi Arabia committed up to 600,000 barrels of oil daily to finance these purchases. Corruption allegations linked to the Al-Yamamah deal were investigated by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office from 2004 but were dropped in December 2006, with the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, citing national security concerns.

British forces have previously operated from Saudi soil. In August 1990, following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, RAF Tornado fighters flew from Akrotiri, Cyprus, to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Further RAF Tornado detachments were established in Tabuk and Dhahran in late 1990 and early 1991. During the Gulf War, Saudi Arabia provided host-nation support to the UK. British aircraft, alongside US and French jets, patrolled a no-fly zone over southern Iraq from Saudi bases until 2003.

The introduction of Typhoon jets into the UK-Saudi military relationship occurred in September 2007 when Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase 72 Typhoons from Britain for approximately £4.43 billion, intended to replace Tornadoes and other aircraft. This deal, known as the Salam Project, was further bolstered in March 2018 when a memorandum of intent was signed for an additional 48 Typhoons. However, this subsequent deal faced delays due to Germany's objections, stemming from the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Germany lifted its objection in January 2024, citing changes in the Middle East landscape since October 7, 2023.

Regarding Yemen, the UK’s Court of Appeal ruled in June 2019 that the government had unlawfully licensed arms sales to Saudi Arabia without assessing potential breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen. New licences were halted until July 2020, when then-Trade Secretary Liz Truss announced their resumption, stating no clear risk of serious violations. The RAF Typhoons have directly engaged Houthi targets in 2024, participating in US-led attacks following Houthi actions against Red Sea shipping. In September of the same year, Britain dispatched a Voyager tanker to provide air-to-air refuelling for British-built Typhoons operated by the Saudi air force.