Capabilities

Ballistic Missiles
Saudi Arabia's ballistic missile arsenal is limited to the Chinese Dongfeng-3 (DF-3; NATO: CSS-2). The DF-3 is a road mobile, liquid fuelled, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). With a range of 2500km, the DF-3 has extensive regional reach. However, the DF-3 is a highly inaccurate missile; when equipped with a conventional warhead, it would therefore not be effective against discrete military or tactical targets. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has never tested the DF-3, which would be critical for ensuring its reliability and training missile forces. [3] Riyadh is dependent upon China to maintain and operate the DF-3, which further limits the missile's military utility. [4] All of the above considerations suggest that the DF-3 is not currently an active component of Saudi defense strategy.

Missile Defense
Saudi Arabia began pursuing a ballistic missile defense capability (BMD) following the Gulf War in 1990, during which Iraq used short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) and cruise missiles against the Kingdom. Currently, Riyadh fields two variations of the Hawk surface-to-air missile system (SAM) (MIM 23B I-Hawk and MIM J/K Hawk), which have limited anti-ballistic missile capabilities. Saudi Arabia also fields two variations of the more advanced longer range Patriot SAM system, the Pac-2 (MIM 104C) and the Pac-3 (MIM 104F). Riyadh's missile defense system is designed to defend the Kingdom against its primary adversary, Iran. Given Iran's continued push to develop more sophisticated missile systems, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and the U.S. are seeking to integrate radar, early warning, and SAM sites into a regional missile defense system. [5] Media reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia is considering bolstering its missile defense capabilities with BMD-capable Aegis destroyers and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. [6]

Cruise Missiles
Saudi Arabia possesses two air-launched cruise missiles, the anti-ship (ASCM) AGM-84L Harpoon and the land attack (LACM) Storm Shadow (the United Kingdom; France: Scalp EG). The Storm Shadow is an advanced conventionally armed cruise missile that gives Riyadh precision strike capabilities in excess of 250km. While the Storm Shadow manufacturer, MBDA, lists the range as "exceeds 250 km," many experts and organizations, including the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, list the range as being greater than 300 km. [7] While Saudi Arabia is not a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the United Kingdom is, and the sale of a 300 km range cruise missile is prohibited as a Category I system. [8] The sale of the missile, confirmed in April 2012, has therefore renewed debate over the capacity and utility of the MTCR. [9]

Recent Developments and Current Status

Saudi Arabia deploys the DF-3 at two confirmed sites: Al-Juaifer, south of Riyadh, and As-Sulayyil, southwest of Riyadh.[10] The missiles are armed with conventional warheads, and are reportedly targeted on Iranian cities.[11] One-third of the weapons are intended to be kept on constant alert, although CSIS's Anthony Cordesman estimates that the number of DF-3s operational at any given time is probably lower.[12] One-third are kept half-fueled, while the remaining one-third are under maintenance. [13] Chinese technicians still operate the missiles, with Saudi officials overseeing their deployment. [14] In 2009, analyst Sean O'Connor identified two sites that he categorized as additional DF-3 complexes: at Rawdah, 280 km west of As-Sulayyil, and in the far northwest desert region. [15] However, O'Connor's assessments cannot be further verified using open source literature.

Saudi Arabia lacks the capacity to develop ballistic missiles domestically, having neither the infrastructure nor the scientific and technological know-how. For this reason, Anthony Cordesman has suggested that Saudi Arabia may be interested in purchasing more advanced missile systems from a foreign supplier, and perhaps specifically from China or Pakistan. [16] However, no further open source evidence indicates that Riyadh is attempting to purchase such systems at the present time.

Sources:
[1] "DongFeng 3 (CSS-2) Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile," Sino Defence, www.sinodefence.com.
[2] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 313.
[3] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 326.
[4] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 325.
[5] "Gulf States Requesting ABM-Capable Systems," Defense Industry Daily, 29 July 2012, www.defenseindustrydaily.com ; "Saudi Arabian Programs," Raytheon, www.raytheon.com ; "Persian Gulf states speed up U.S. missile shield," United Press International, 1 October 2012, www.upi.com.
[6] Christopher Cavas, "Saudi Arabia Mulling BMD-Capable Destroyer," Defense News, 13 June 2011, www.defensenews.com ; "GCC States Interested in THAAD Missile-Defense System," Al-Defaiya: Arabian Defense and Aerospace Business, 17 August 2012, www.defaiya.com ; Adam Entous, "Saudi Arms Deal Advances," The Wall Street Journal, 12 September 2010, online.wsj.com.
[7] "Storm Shadow / Scalp," MBDA Missile Systems, May 2011, www.mbda-systems.com ; National Air and Space Intelligence Center, "Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat," Federation of American Scientists, April 2009, www.fas.org.
[8] Jeffrey Lewis, "Saudi Storm Shadow Sale Confirmed," Arms Control Wonk, 3 April 2012, lewis.armscontrolwonk.com ; Missile Technology Control Regime, "Guidelines for Sensitive Missile-Relevant Transfers," www.mtcr.info.
[9] Jeffrey Lewis, "Saudi Storm Shadow Sale Confirmed," Arms Control Wonk, 3 April 2012, lewis.armscontrolwonk.com ; Missile Technology Control Regime, "Guidelines for Sensitive Missile-Relevant Transfers," www.mtcr.info.
[10] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 325.
[11] John Pike, "Missile Proliferation: Saudi Arabia," Federation of American Scientists, 12 September 1996, www.fas.org.
[12] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 324.
[13] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 324
[14] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 325.
[15] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 327.
[16] Anthony H. Cordesman, Saudi Arabia Enters the Twenty-First Century: The Military and International Security Dimensions (Westport: Praeger 2003), p. 313.