Article 176 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 176 من نظام الطيران المدني · الباب الثالث عشر: الطائرات العسكرية
A foreign military aircraft may not fly or land in the Kingdom's territory except under an international or bilateral agreement, with a special permit from the Authority after coordination, and carrying its distinctive marks clearly.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز لأي طائرة عسكرية أجنبية التحليق أو الهبوط في إقليم المملكة إلا بموجب اتفاقية دولية تكون المملكة طرفًا فيها، أو اتفاقية ثنائية مع الدولة التابعة لها الطائرة ، وفي جميع الأحوال يجب الحصول على تصريح خاص من الهيئة بعد التنسيق مع الجهات المختصة، وبشرط أن تحمل هذه الطائرات العلامات المميزة لها بشكل واضح.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 176 explained in plain English
This article sets strict conditions for foreign military aircraft entering the Kingdom's airspace.
The rule: No foreign military aircraft may fly or land in the territory of the Kingdom except when all of the following conditions are met:
- A contractual basis: It must be under:
- an international agreement to which the Kingdom is a party; or
- a bilateral agreement with the state to which the aircraft belongs.
- A special permit: In all cases a special permit must be obtained from the Authority, after coordination with the competent bodies. The existence of an agreement alone is not enough.
- Marks: The aircraft must carry its distinctive marks clearly.
The rationale: This article expresses the Kingdom's sovereignty over its airspace: no foreign military aircraft enters it except within an agreement framework, with specific permission and a clear identity.
Relation to Article 175: Article 175 specifies the provisions that apply to foreign military aircraft once they have entered, including the rules of the air, restricted areas, use of airports, inspection and carriage of dangerous materials. This article specifies the conditions of entry itself. The former concerns what applies during presence; the latter, the permission to enter.
It is followed by Article 177, which extends the Law's provisions to other aerial vehicles. This article addresses government bodies and states mainly; anyone with a question about it may refer to a lawyer specializing in international cases.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 176 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Can a foreign military aircraft land in Saudi Arabia?
Not except under an international agreement to which the Kingdom is a party or a bilateral agreement with the aircraft's state, with a special permit from the Authority after coordination with the competent bodies.
Is an international agreement enough for a military aircraft to enter?
No. In all cases a special permit must be obtained from the Authority, and the aircraft must carry its distinctive marks clearly.
More articles on Rules of the Air and Prohibited Areas
- Article 13
No aircraft fitted with cameras or aerial survey equipment may fly in the Kingdom, and such equipment may not be used, without a permit from the Authority and under its conditions.
لا يجوز الطيران في إقليم المملكة بطائرات مجهزة بآلات التصوير أو المسح الجوي أو استعمال هذه الآلات إلا بتصريح من الهيئة ووفقا للشروط التي تحددها في هذا الشأن.
- Article 89
The Authority sets the rules of the air, flight and navigation regulations, air routes and corridors, and the pilot-in-command's responsibilities; the Regulations set airspace rules and flight altitudes.
1- تحدد الهيئة قواعد الجو والأنظمة المتعلقة بتحليق الطائرات والملاحة الجوية وحماية الأشخاص والممتلكات على السطح واستعمال الفضاء الجوي . 2- تحدد الهيئة الطرق وال
- Article 90
The article allows the Authority to prohibit or restrict flight over certain areas, or exceptionally over the whole territory, to define dangerous areas, and to set the prohibited acts for operators and pilots-in-command.
1- للهيئة أن تحظر أو تقيد تحليق الطائرات فوق: أ - مناطق معينة في إقليم المملكة لأسباب أمنية أو لمتطلبات المصلحة العامة . ب - إقليم المملكة كله أو جزء منه في ال
- Article 123
The article requires the competent authorities to allow persons, vehicles and equipment carrying out search and rescue to enter any prohibited area where the aircraft is or the accident occurred, under the Authority's supervision.
على السلطات المختصة أن تسمح للأشخاص والآليات والمعدات بما فيها الطائرات والسفن التي تقوم بعمليات البحث والإنقاذ بدخول أي منطقة محظورة إذا كانت الطائرة موجودة في
- Article 175
Articles 37, 89 and 90 apply to all national and foreign military aircraft flying in air corridors or using civil airports in the Kingdom, and Articles 6, 7 and 12 apply to foreign military aircraft flying and landing in the territory.
1- تسري أحكام المواد (السابعة والثلاثين) و(التاسعة والثمانين) و(التسعين) من هذا النظام على جميع الطائرات العسكرية الوطنية والأجنبية أثناء الطيران في الممرات الج
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.