The GCDA is the para-military wing of the Ministry of Interior (MOI). They are responsible for providing police, firefighting, and search & rescue services for the country. Since the Siege of the Grand Mosque at Mecca in 1979, GCDA is also responsible for providing helicopter support to kingdoms counter terrorism forces. Sixteen Kawasaki KV-107/IIA-SM helicopters were purchased begining in 1979; (7) SM-1, (4) SM-2, (2) SM-3, & (3) SM-4. One SM-1 crashed in 1987 and another crashed in 2006.
The crash in 1987 was in the mountains and it was undetermined what the cause was. I believe as a mechanic in Saudi Arabia at the time at another base that the cause was they were pulling a 100 foot sling on the cargo hook but they didn't have a water bucket attached to it. In the mountains there is severe updrafts and downdrafts. With nothing to hold the cargo strap down with weight instead in a severe downdraft in the mountains that sling would go right into the aft rotor blades. I totally believe the sling contacted the after rotor blades and the aircraft came apart. Measurement from the cargo hook on the KV 107 to the after rotor blades May confirm or deny this theory. -
Locations
| 1980- | OEAB AHB | Abha |
| 1980- | OEDR DHA | King Abdullah Aziz Air Base |
| 1980- | OERY XXN | Riyadh AB |
| 1980- | OEJN JED | King Abdulaziz Airport |
Models
| 1979-2010 | kv-107iia-sm-1 |
| 1979-2010 | kv-107iia-sm-2 |
| 1984-2012 | kv-107iia-sm-3 |
| 1984-2011 | kv-107iia-sm-4 |
| 2007- | S-92 |
| 2011- | S-70i Black Hawk |
Airframes (0)
No airframes recorded.