Navy Resumes Flight Training of Saudi Students After Pensacola Shooting

February 26, 2020 11:32 AM - Updated: February 26, 2020 11:53 AM

Saudi Arabian flight students are resuming flight training in the U.S. after a Saudi student killed three U.S. naval aviation students in Florida in December, the Navy announced on Wednesday.

Ens. Joshua Kaleb Watson, Airman Mohammed Sameh Haitham and Airmen Apprentice Cameron Scott Walters were killed by Royal Saudi Air Force 2nd Lt. Ahmed Mohammed Alshamran on Dec. 6 in a classroom building at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

“Saudi Arabian International Military Students (IMS) resumed flight training yesterday, Feb. 25, 2020, after the Navy satisfied the requirements set forth by the Secretary of Defense,” the statement read. “Updates to Navy policy include a new regulation prohibiting the possession of personally owned firearms by IMS, limiting access by all foreign nationals to assigned facilities and installations only, and requiring IMS to accept these policies to train in the United States. The Navy also developed a policy for the continuous review of IMS, to be implemented by March 13, 2020.”

Alshamran attacked the students with a legally purchased handgun.

The Navy did not immediately release the number of students that returned to training. At the time of the shooting 140 Saudi Arabian students were training at NAS Pensacola, 140 were training at NAS Whiting Field. NAS Mayport and approximately 128 Saudi students were training at NAS Mayport.

The service grounded the Saudi students following the shooting and the subsequent investigation. In January, 21 Saudi students were ejected from the training for possessing jihadist material and child pornography, Attorney General William Barr said at the time.

“While there was no evidence of assistance or pre-knowledge of the attack by other members of the Saudi military, or any other foreign nationals, who are training in the United States, we did learn of derogatory material possessed by 21 members of the Saudi military who are training here in the United States,” Barr said during a media briefing.

Foreign military training is a key component of the U.S. foreign military sales program and long-term diplomacy tool.

5,100 members of foreign militaries, representing 153 countries, currently attending flight training, combat weapons systems training, infantry training, professional development courses for officers, or are students at the U.S. military’s undergraduate and graduate-level colleges, according to the State Department.

The following is the complete Feb. 26, 2020 statement from the Navy.

Saudi Arabian International Military Students (IMS) resumed flight training yesterday, Feb. 25, 2020, after the Navy satisfied the requirements set forth by the Secretary of Defense. Updates to Navy policy include a new regulation prohibiting the possession of personally owned firearms by IMS, limiting access by all foreign nationals to assigned facilities and installations only, and requiring IMS to accept these policies to train in the United States. The Navy also developed a policy for the continuous review of IMS, to be implemented by March 13, 2020.

The Navy is making every effort to minimize disruptions to our foreign national partners while implementing the revised security initiatives. Foreign military training remains one of the most effective tools to advance U.S. national security, and these actions will enable the Navy to continue to strengthen our alliances and build our partnerships.

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
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