Yemen Monitor / Abu Dhabi / Exclusive:
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) and the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces (RSADF) are continuing their effective participation in the “Air and Missile War Center Exercise” (ATLC-35), hosted by Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, with wide participation from the forces of other nations.
This exercise acquires increasing importance in light of continued regional tensions and the escalating Houthi rhetoric threatening a return to military operations and targeting Saudi territory. The Houthi pressure policy continues, aiming to extract “war entitlements” or secure funding for the armed movement in Yemen.
The ATLC-35 exercise is considered one of the most prominent joint aerial drills in the region. It aims to raise the combat readiness of air and technical crews, enhance operational planning and execution capabilities in simulated environments close to real war conditions, in addition to exchanging expertise and developing joint aerial combat methods.
The Saudi Air Force is participating in the exercise with Tornado aircraft, along with all their air, technical, and support crews, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The air crews are performing complex training missions, including defensive and offensive air operations, Close Air Support (CAS) missions, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations, and night flying operations, including tactical night drops and aerial refueling operations. This qualitative participation affirms the high readiness of the Saudi crews and their ability to execute missions efficiently under various operational conditions.
The technical and support crews back the air crews to ensure the missions are executed efficiently and according to approved operational plans. The technical system owned by the Air Force plays an active role in ensuring the technical readiness of the aircraft through performing preventative maintenance, periodic checks, and technical preparation of the aircraft before every sortie.
These drills come at a time when de-escalation efforts in Yemen are experiencing a state of stagnation and setback despite the current backchannel consultations in the Sultanate of Oman, with increasing Houthi statements suggesting the collapse of the truce and a return to military escalation.
