3 million soldiers and 3,400 combat aircraft.. The capabilities of the "Mecca Agreement" countries in numbers
Agencies4 min read
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Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, the member countries of the "Mecca Agreement for Defense", have a total military capability that includes nearly 3,400 military aircraft of various types, 5,700 tanks, about 98,000 armored vehicles, and 335 naval vessels, according to data from the Coalitions Builder tool of the "Global Firepower" website.
These capabilities are important amid the escalation of the confrontation with the Houthis, and the decision of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee of the coalition to immediately transition to the practical implementation of collective defense commitments, and to provide the agreed-upon military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.
According to the "Coalitions Builder" tool, the total military manpower index of the three countries reaches nearly 3 million individuals, while they collectively possess more than 2,000 self-propelled guns, about 4,800 artillery pieces, and more than 1,200 rocket launchers.
These figures represent the total military capabilities of the three countries according to the indicators collected by the tool, and do not reflect the size of the forces or equipment that are actually decided to be deployed in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan held an emergency meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee of the Mecca Defense Alliance in Riyadh to discuss security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia.
According to a joint statement issued following the meeting, the committee decided to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed-upon military forces and capabilities, and to ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia in accordance with the adopted arrangements and the national legislations of the parties, thereby enhancing military readiness, integration, and the collective ability to confront and counter threats.
The parties affirmed that the security of each party is an integral part of the collective security of the three countries, and that translating the Mecca Defense Cooperation Agreement into practical measures enhances the effectiveness of deterrence, affirming their determination to defend their security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in accordance with the provisions of the agreement.
- Escalation of the confrontation with the Houthis
The activation of collective defense commitments comes at a time when the confrontation with the Houthis is witnessing a military escalation, following the resumption of attacks on Saudi Arabia since July last year, after the collapse of the truce concluded in 2022 between the Houthis and the Yemeni government.
The Houthis frequently launch ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia, while they claimed that Riyadh bombed Sanaa Airport to prevent an Iranian plane from landing there, before announcing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in response to what they consider a blockade of their areas of control, and resuming targeting its oil tankers and facilities.
The recent period has seen an expansion in Houthi-controlled areas at the expense of the internationally recognized government, particularly on parts of the western coast overlooking the Red Sea and strategic areas near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, before the government forces supported by Saudi Arabia began operations to retake areas advanced by the Houthis under the name "Dawn of Yemen".
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait has gained increasing importance for Saudi Arabia in oil exports, amid Iran's restriction of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The war in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthis took control of Sanaa, before Saudi Arabia led a coalition in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government since 2015.
- The military capabilities of the coalition
According to the Coalitions Builder data, Saudi Arabia has 407,000 individuals in its military manpower index, and possesses 917 aircraft, 840 tanks, about 19,000 armored vehicles, in addition to 332 self-propelled guns, 467 artillery pieces, 321 rocket launchers, and 32 naval vessels.
Pakistan has about 1.7 million individuals in its military manpower index, and possesses about 1,400 aircraft, more than 2,600 tanks, about 17,500 armored vehicles, in addition to 662 self-propelled guns, more than 2,600 artillery pieces, 600 rocket launchers, and 121 naval vessels.
Pakistan is the only country among the three that possesses nuclear weapons.
Turkey has about 884,000 individuals in its military manpower index, and possesses about 1,100 aircraft, more than 2,200 tanks, about 61,000 armored vehicles, in addition to more than 1,000 self-propelled guns, about 1,700 artillery pieces, 296 rocket launchers, and 182 naval vessels.
