What if a country spent more on its army than almost every nation on Earth, and still had no nuclear weapons at all? That country is Saudi Arabia. It is the world's fifth largest military spender. It has a secret missile force hidden in the desert for more than 30 years. Its air force is built almost fully in America and Europe. And all of this is paid for by one thing: oil.
In this series, we have already measured the United States, China, India and Pakistan. Now we ask the same question about the richest military in the Arab world. How powerful is Saudi Arabia, really? Let us measure it honestly, number by number.
Money Is the Base of Saudi Power
Start with money, because money is the base of Saudi power. Its population is only about 35 million. That is very small next to India's 1.45 billion people. Yet Saudi officials say the kingdom set aside about $78 billion for defence in 2025. That is the fifth largest military budget in the world. It is about 21 percent of all government spending. It is also about 7 percent of its whole economy.
Analysts estimate about 250,000 personnel in uniform. They serve in the army, the navy, the air force, the air defence force and the strategic missile force. Beside them stands a separate force, the Saudi Arabian National Guard. It has perhaps another 100,000 personnel or more. It is a parallel army. It does not even report to the defence ministry.
What the Money Buys in the Air
So what does that money buy? In the air, it buys one of the most advanced air forces in the Middle East. It has American-built F-15 fighters, including the advanced F-15SA. It also has European Typhoons and Tornado strike aircraft. Airborne early warning planes and refuelling tankers support them.
Above its cities, there is an air defence shield. It is made of American Patriot batteries. Reportedly, a first battery of the high-altitude THAAD system joined it in 2025. This shield has been tested for real. Year after year, it has stopped ballistic missiles and drones fired at Saudi cities and oil sites.
Two Fleets on Two Coasts
At sea, Saudi Arabia has two separate fleets. One fleet guards the Red Sea coast. The other fleet guards the Gulf coast. They protect the sea lanes that carry the world's energy.
The Secret Missile Force in the Desert
Then comes the strangest part of Saudi power: its secret deterrent. Saudi Arabia has no nuclear weapons. It has signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Its leaders have said only one thing. The kingdom would seek to match Iran if Iran ever built a bomb.
Instead, since the late 1980s, a separate branch has worked in secret. It is called the Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force. It has quietly used Chinese-built ballistic missiles deep in the desert. First came the long-range DF-3, bought in 1988. Later, reportedly, came the DF-21. The DF-21 is more accurate and uses solid fuel.
These missiles were hidden from the public for decades. They were paraded for the first time only in 2014. Most analysts believed it was a message for one capital only: Tehran, the capital of Iran.
The Limits Seen in War
But money has limits. Saudi Arabia has learned those limits in war. Since 2015, the kingdom has led a coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen. A decade of operations proved two things. Its air force could strike far from home. It could also sustain a long campaign. But it did not defeat the Houthis. A truce has largely held since 2022.
There is also a deeper weakness. Almost three quarters of Saudi weapons imports come from the United States, say SIPRI researchers. Britain, France and Spain supply most of the rest. In May 2025, Washington announced a defence package with the kingdom worth about $142 billion. These were announced agreements, not yet delivered hardware.
That is why Vision 2030 has a clear aim. It wants to build half of what the military buys at home by 2030. That share is up from only a few percent a few years ago.
The Final Verdict
The engine under all of this is oil. Saudi Arabia has an economy of about $1.1 trillion. That is roughly $30,000 per person. It sits on about 17 percent of the world's proven oil reserves. It is the world's largest crude exporting country.
Yet composite rankings place Saudi Arabia only in the mid-20s in the world. That is far below its spending rank. The reason is simple. Money can buy aircraft and missiles quickly. But it cannot instantly buy manpower, industry or self-reliance.
Saudi Arabia is a genuine regional heavyweight. It is the richest and best equipped military in the Arab world. But it still depends on imports, on partners and on the price of oil. So it stays one tier below the nuclear powers.
Next, we begin a new series, the History of Pakistan. It starts with the day a general refused an order from Quaid-e-Azam himself.
Watch the video: How Powerful Is Saudi Arabia? | Most Powerful Nations on Earth #10 on YouTube. This article is the full written version of the video, in simple English. See all articles on the Blogs page and more videos in the History Series.