Khalid Bin Sultan - Military Experience

Military Experience

In the first years as a soldier, despite his choice to be selected for Special Forces personnel, Khalid bin Sultan was given a command of an artillery platoon in Tabuk. Later, his position advanced as he was given a task for conducting contract and purchasing of Saudi Arabia's first guided missile with People's Republic of China. For this prominent role, he was given an honorary title "Father of Saudi Arabia's Missile".

After years in the Army, thinking that air defense should be given more important role in the national defense, he established the Saudi Air Defense Force, and become its first commander. Shortly after occupation of Iraq to Kuwait in the first Persian Gulf War, he was chosen as Commander of the Joint Forces, and shared an equal position and responsibility with General Norman Schwarzkopf of US Army. King Fahd promoted him to Field Marshal afterward. In 1991, he retired from the military to focus on business. In January 2001, he was brought back into the military as Assistant Defense Minister of Military Affairs.

In early 2011, he announced that “more than 70 percent of military equipment can be produced locally" and the future creation of a government branch for domestic military growth. He was regarded as a likely candidate to replace his deceased father as Defense Minister. He has been criticized for his "weak military credentials".

His favorite words are: "He who is not willing to climb the mountain, will spent the time in the bottom of the cliff". During his military tenure, he always brought the inscription on his desk until his retirement. He always thought that his best military position was not as a commander in the Gulf War, but as a small artillery platoon leader in his first assignment.