Saudi Royal Navy in the sea off Yemen

Recent military developments have highlighted missions carried out by the Saudi Royal Navy in the sea off Yemen, particularly the operation carried out last week in which naval mines were identified and deactivated.

Retired Marine Rear Adm. Dr. Shami Mohammed Al-Dhahri, commander of the College of Command and Staff at the Saudi Armed Forces, told Arab News that the Saudi Royal Navy special units have been paying close attention to the quality of their training in various climates, both in mountainous terrain and deep in the valleys.

Training has been taking place in the cold winter months as well as the hot summer, to fully prepare soldiers and officers who have pledged their lives to protect their religion and their homeland, Al-Dhahri said.

He said members of special navy security units have spent extensive hours of training in areas like mountain warfare skills, tactical exercises, shooting, and “frogmen” combat diving. This equips them with extensive skills to carry out their military tasks with high precision.

Al-Dhahri said units are currently operating within the coalition forces to support legitimacy in Yemen, and are among the most trained combat units. They work under the most difficult of circumstances, due to the need for high sensitivity and accuracy in these special military operations.

Special navy security units are believed to have advanced boats and special equipment, from binoculars to snipers, in addition to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other equipment required to carry out missions day and night with great efficiency.

These units have a long history of nearly 40 years, informed sources reveal, dating back to when the Marine and Special Naval Security Units school was founded. The institution has the latest equipment and weapons, including amphibious armor and vehicles, mortars, heavy machine guns, and mines.

Officers and members of these units undergo intense training programs inside and outside the Kingdom, and are involved in joint annual exercises with forces from allied countries. The private marine security units are divided into three sections, namely frogmen or combat diving, stunts, and removal or deactivation, each with specific tasks.