Attack helicopters are playing an increasingly significant role in Saudi Arabia's military operations, with the bulk of purchases coming from the United States. HELICOPTERS NOW DOMINATE military aviation in Saudi Arabia. That's not surprising given the difficult terrain and the threats the Royal Kingdom faces. The Saudi military's focus has been fixed on Iran over the past 30 years and, until the recent ceasefire, was heavily involved in fighting Iranian-backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen. The war in Syria has been another irritation, along with the ongoing threat of Islamic extremism. Helicopters, therefore, play a massive part in moving troops and logistics around both Yemen and internally across the thousands of miles of desert. In recent years, the burgeoning workload of the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation (RSLFAI) helicopters has been offset by the creation of the Royal Saudi Army National Guard. The SANG, as it's termed, serves both as a defense force against external attack and as an internal security force. Duties include protecting the House of Saud royal family, guarding against military coups, protecting strategic facilities and resources, and providing security for the cities of Mecca and Medina. The SANG reports directly to the King through the Ministry of the National Guard (MNG) and, unlike the army, navy and air force, is not under the control of the ministry of defense.
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