RIYADH – Prince Khaled Bin Salman, the 10th ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States, has acquired vast experience and expertise in both military and civil services fields within a short span of time. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman named on Saturday the young prince for the prestigious diplomatic post, as a successor of Prince Abdullah bin Faisal, who had served in the post for over one and a half years. An air force pilot, who took part in combat missions, Prince Khaled has also proved his extraordinary caliber and efficiency in handling diplomatic issues well before taking over the new mission. Prince Khaled was appointed at the office of the minister of defense after the completion of his aviation duties. At the end of his military service, the prince was tasked with the job of high-level civilian adviser at the Saudi ministry of defense. In late 2016, he moved to the United States and served as an adviser at the Saudi embassy there. Education: Prince Khaled obtained his bachelor of science degree in aviation science from Riyadh's King Faisal Air Academy and then pursued higher studies in the United State. He has received a certificate in senior executives in national and international security from Harvard University. He also studied for advanced electronic warfare in Paris. Prince Khaled began studies for his master's degree in humanities with a specialization in security studies at Georgetown University of Washington but was suspended studies in view of taking up of various practical assignments before being appointed as the ambassador. Military service: Upon graduation from the King Faisal Air Academy, Prince Khaled joined the Saudi Royal Air Force. He began his career flying Texan 6 and T-38 fighters at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. He then attended aviation program on board F-15S tactical fighter aircraft. He was then appointed as tactical intelligence officer along with his career as an F-15S pilot in the 92nd Squadron of the 3rd Wing at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran. Prince Khaled was trained as a fighter pilot with a total of approximately 1,000 flying hours and flew missions against Daesh (the so called IS) as part of the international coalition. He also took part in a mission as part of Decisive Storm and Restoration of Hope operations in Yemen. The prince has won several honors and medals for his heroic military exploits, and these include South Shield medal and the Order of Saif Abdullah. Prince Khaled has undergone intensive training under the US military in both the United States and Saudi Arabia, and these included training at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. An injury in the back forced him to stop flying, he then joined the defense minister's office as an officer.
