SAUDIS HOLD MAJOR COMBINED EXERCISE NEAR ISRAEL

[IMRA: Coincidentally, recently there have been a number of incidents of
civilian planes that have strayed into Israeli airspace. In each case
Israeli jets scrambled to intercept. The Saudis have ignored Israeli
complaints that there was an understanding with the USA that the Saudis
would not position their American made jets at Tabuk.]

ABU DHABI [MENL] -- Saudi Arabia has launched a major air and naval exercise
in the northwestern part of the kingdom near the Israeli border.

The Saudi exercise includes advanced fighter-jets as the F-15S, as well as
fast attack naval craft and air defense systems. The air portion of the
exercise has been directed by the Saudi E-3A airborne warning and control
systems.

Saudi officials said the exercise began last week, with headquarters at the
King Faisal Air Base at Tabuk, near the Jordanian border and 200 kilometers
from Israel. The officials said the exercise was part of a series of
maneuvers that would take place along Saudi Arabia's northern border.

The maneuvers were termed a combined exercise that included nearly every
major wing of the Saudi military. They included the navy, air force and air
defense command.
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