Saudi Arabia buys Eurofighter!

[Viggen]

70 fighters of the type Eurofighter is involved in this contract.
The conract is worth 20 billion £, and goes under the name al-Salam (Peace).

BAE Systems expects King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to sign the deal next week. So keep your eyes open guys! If this goes though, then its Brittains largest exporting order ever.

Btw, they are also intrested in buying two destroyers of BAE Systems worth 1.2 billion £. 

The most important parts are translated by me.
Information is taken from http://www.e24.se/dynamiskt/Utrikes/did_17031776.asp.

[tigershark]

Hi Viggen I found a story too this could be a very big sale like you said if it goes through.  I hope for Britain it does this jet seems like a winner and the Saudi's have the money for the latest models too.   

Basically the same story
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article2402913.ece 

[Raptor]

Question.

if it's worth 200 billion £, as you say, that would be roughly S$420,546,574,515.78, again roughly 277,331,132,757.37 USD, Which is actually a lot, then why do they want to buy only two destroyers? Since that "whoever owns the waterways owns the world" saying still applies, does it not? Aircraft may be the most powerful machines available, but they still do not have the indefinite periods of stay-at-sea/air that the ships do.

[Viggen]

Question.

if it's worth 200 billion £, as you say, that would be roughly S$420,546,574,515.78, again roughly 277,331,132,757.37 USD, Which is actually a lot, then why do they want to buy only two destroyers? Since that "whoever owns the waterways owns the world" saying still applies, does it not? Aircraft may be the most powerful machines available, but they still do not have the indefinite periods of stay-at-sea/air that the ships do.

I dont know why they only want to buy 2 destroyers. Dident say in the article.The cost is high, but from what i have understood it includes future updates, service, training, spareparts etc... etc...

[Raptor]

Oh. Exactly 70 tiffies, or are some to be placed on reserve?

[WRCKid]

Looks like there has been a lot of controversies behind that deal, then again so does any other deal....

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-2006-saudi-shopping-spree-eurofighter-flying-off-with-10b-saudi-contract-updated-01669/

[tigershark]

In dollars how much does this breakdown to per cost of aircraft,thanks

[Viggen]

In dollars how much does this breakdown to per cost of aircraft,thanks

I have no idea...Whats the dollar worth? 

The deal is made in 3 payments. 5 billion £ at delivery of all 70 aircraft, another 5 billion £ for weapons and  armament. Then 10 billion £ is a payment for future maintance.

[alyster]

It's not useful for EU to do arm deals in USDs, because US economy has been going downhill with the dollar and with possible Iran war could even go futhere down. Dollar is about 2/3 of the value it used to be some years ago now.

[Raptor]

I agree. A pound is over 3 times the value of a Singapore Dollar. A US dollar is about 1.4 now. Used to be 1.6 not too long ago. Australian Dollars are going up too...

And the maintainence thing. Is BAe maintaining them personally or are they delegating or something?

[Gripen]

$1AUD buys $.80USD.. at last check..

[Raptor]

Yupp. I was right.