The... has ended Spears of Victory 2026, the most important air exercise of’Saudi Arabia. The activity took place at King Abdulaziz Air Base from 18 January to 5 February and was organised by the’Royal Saudi Air Force Air Warfare Centre (RSAF). The 2026 edition saw the participation of personnel and equipment from 10 countries. Alongside Italy and Saudi Arabia, in fact, the following countries were present. NATO, also the United States, Greece, the United Kingdom, and France, in addition to Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, and Qatar. Confirming the prestige of the exercise, the presence of some observer countries such as: Turkey, Bangladesh, Oman, Malaysia, and Morocco.
Italy took part in the exercise by deploying three Eurofighter del 36th Wing of Gioia del Colle an E-550A CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) of 14th Practice Wing of Pratica di Mare. Our fighters flew air-to-air missions, air-to-ground missions, but also “swing-role” thereby carrying out both activities in the same sortie.
The CAEW, on the other hand, performed command, control, and management functions for the air battle, thanks to its long-range radar capability, ensuring informational superiority over the ongoing operations. The deployment was also supported by Logistics Command with the involvement of staff from affiliated bodies and from a team of Air Gunners of the 16th Wing in Martina Franca, who has been entrusted with the protection of Italian Air Force assets and personnel. For the first time, the Italian Armed Forces participated in an exercise in Saudi Arabia, and for the first time in the history of the exercise, which has been taking place since 2021, a foreign aircraft with capabilities Airborne Early Warning, such as the CAEW, is invited to perform command and control functions in the skies of the Saudi kingdom.
“By participating in Spears of Victory, the Air Force has written an important chapter in the name of international cooperation. – declared the Commander of the Mobility and Support Forces Command, Air Force General Alessandro De Lorenzo – For the first time, Italy participated in an exercise in Saudi Arabia, deploying state-of-the-art assets such as the Eurofighter and CAEW, thanks to a first-class training environment like that of the Saudi Air Warfare Centre. Exercises like this are important opportunities to stimulate and support the development of key capabilities for the Armed Forces.”
Over 90 formations took part in scenarios of increasing complexity, aimed at developing the capability to integrate formations and personnel from different countries, developing common tactics and procedures for countering current and emerging threats to international security. For approximately three weeks, the crews were immersed in a multi-domain operational environment. All this under the supervision of an AWC Instructor Team.
“The Spears of Victory It was a valuable opportunity to train in a coalition context different from the exercises normally carried out within NATO. – stated the commander of the deployment, Lieutenant Colonel Massimo S. – The crews of the EFA and CAEW had a very productive opportunity to interact with those from other countries. This was also made possible thanks to the support and facilities of the Royal Saudi Air Force, a state-of-the-art training ecosystem that has certainly enriched the professional experience of all participants. The personnel responded with professionalism and enthusiasm, enabling the achievement of an important milestone for the Armed Force.”
