New Training Facility for Royal Saudi Air Force allies

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Leanne Hedgepeth
  • 17 TRW/PA
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Goodfellow's intelligence training campus will be receiving an addition in the not too distant future, as the area immediately south of Building 447 is projected to become the home of a new Royal Saudi Air Force training facility. Target time for building delivery is between October and December 2013, with intelligence support training beginning in mid-2014.

Funding for the building came from the $29.4 billion Royal Saudi Foreign Military Sales case in support of the F-15 Fleet Modernization Program. This particular program is managed by Air Force Security Assistance Training. FMS is the government-to-government method for selling U.S. defense equipment, services, and training.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rebuilding their air force and striving to model and operate using U.S. Air Force standards.

"The building will provide a premier training area for the RSAF," said Randy Rijken 17th Training Support Squadron Chief of Resources. "It will also open the door to a new relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia."

The current intelligence training program at Goodfellow has very little international training. The RSAF training facility could be the catalyst needed since graduating students can aid in improving interoperability to serve national interest.

The RSAF vision is to enhance the RSAF intelligence force to support advanced weapons systems and to develop a self-sustaining intelligence training force.

"I believe the new building will be very successful in aiding RSAF initiatives, they will now have the opportunity to receive more specific training," said Rijken.

Training in targeting will be reserved for officers and Intelligence Operations training for the enlisted corps.

The Air Force will collaborate with the RSAF intelligence and training subject matter experts to develop a concept for the training. Once the concept is approved, both entities will refine it into training plans and courses.

The new building will contain four classrooms, instructor office, culture room, break room, visitation area and a self-contained intelligence training system. The expected student throughput will be 10 students per year for 7 years, with a mixture of officers, non-commissioned officers and airmen.