Saudi Typhoons

[alyster]

On Monday 21 December 2005, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom government signed an agreement for the acquisition at least 24 Eurofighter Typhoons to replace the Royal Saudi Air Force's current fleet of Panavia Tornado ADV air defence fighters.

The multi-billion pound order will be part of a third phase of the Al Yamamah arms agreement, which previously covered the delivery and support of the Tornado ADV and IDS, BAE Systems Hawk, Pilatus PC-9, and other equipment.

The 24 Typhoons will be drawn from the UK production run of 89 Tranche 2 Eurofighters. The UK MoD stressed that the RAF will receive additional Tranche 2 airframes, and that the deal with Saudi Arabia will have no impact on its commitment to sign a Tranche 3 deal to take the UK's total Typhoon purchase to 232 aircraft.

The agreement also covers technology transfer from BAE Systems to further develop Saudi national aerospace industry. Meanwhile BAE is promoting its extensive upgrade for the RSAF current fleet of Tornado IDS aircraft. Source: Flight International

(copied from this website)

Any idea how big is the "multi-billion" pound deal?

Is it 1-2billions or more?
I was just wondering how big is it and how much civil use stuff (like how many school buildings) could be built for that money. My guess is it's more then 24 schools. Just wanted to get the real size and idea of the cash moving with 24 things which hopefully never be used for real action.

[Webmaster]

It is not a good way of looking at military purchasing... it is a neccessary purchase to keep or improve the air force strength, or military strength...which translates into stability in the region (believe it or not) and most important of all sovereignty of a nation. Saudi Arabia is wealthy nation because of its oil, if it needs to spend billions on its military to protect that, they will. Whether the 10% of the national gross product (cia factbook, 2002) military budget, should be lowered in favour of education, is the choice of Saudi government... and that some countries are in a political and geographic area to spend far less on defence, doesn't make their education (or any other area's) by definition any better.


You know, for the money of building a school and employing some teachers, you can also buy lots of food for those who are starving...

[Valiant1]

I don't agree giving any country in the Middle East Western technology.  There are many people, even in Allied countries like Saudi Arabia who hate the West, especially the United States.  Look what happened to Iran when the Shah overthrew the government friendly to the US.  If any country or countries would use Western technology against us and our allies, it's the Arab nations. 
There are those, such as Bin Laden, who will use religion to "brainwash" those who are "ignorant" or uneducated.  They use these people to blow themselves up in Western cities or killing themselves in some fashion all "for the sake of God".  Maybe Webmaster, you're right, the money should go into educating people, instead of buying military hardware, and making these people AWARE that killing yourself is not for the sake of God, but for the sake of those evil men, such as Bin Laden, who have selfish motives that they can't even see. 
In the meantime, I wouldn't even sell them a Sherman tank. 

[Cobra2]

Agreed Valiant1, you sure do know what your talking about  and I would never sell them our technology...no matter how expensive they would buy for. NO WAY.

[Webmaster]

Maybe Webmaster, you're right, the money should go into educating people, instead of buying military hardware

I said quite the opposite.

But come on, you don't trust them with your military technology, but you say they are an important ally AND you need them for oil. So what will you give them in return? Without selling them a 'Sherman tank' they are a sitting duck, real easy target for anyone that wants to hit the West indirectly. Remember Kuwait? What happens if Saudi Arabia gets invaded by Iran for example, then the US starts shipping major supplies of weapons to Saudi Arabia anyway, if not troops as well. So give them their defense, make some money on it and then hope that they won't need to use it.

[Valiant1]

Mr. Webmaster, who do you think is supporting the terrorists?  It's the king of Saudi Arabia!  Think about it - why are they still in power - because the powerful die-hard Islamis factions are allowing it AS LONG AS THE KING FINANCES THEIR OPERATIONS TO CARRY OUT TERRORISM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.  Sure they won't put that in the papers,  but I guarantee you that the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia is scared chicken about NOT financing these people. 
You know,  the United States has a reserve of oil in Alaska that is far greater than what the Middle East has.  Why can't the US sell oil to their own people at a lower cost?  Because OF THE GREEDY OIL TYCOONS!!  Instead of selling the gas to our people at $1.00 per gallon, these greedy !#?!$#! would rather sell to Japan AT $5.00 per gallon.  These tycoons don't care about America and its people - JUST THEIR POCKETS! 
I say don't sell any technology to the Middle East EXCEPT to Israel, which, by the way, has one of the GREATEST fighting forces in the world.  They need our help - they're surrounded by people who want to destroy them.   Sorry Cobra 2, I think we should pull out of Iraq, let them kill each other, and let's start rebuilding our troop morale and military equipment with the billions we could save by getting out of there.
LET'S TAKE CARE OF AMERICA AND AMERICANS FIRST!!!

[Cobra2]

Yes, we should take care of our country (wich we are but not enough)...and Israel does need our help...they're the only country in the mid-east that we should sell tech to your right.
HOWEVER, if we pull out of Iraq theyll attack again right?? we cant let that happen. we would have to make our security 20X better (not that its a terrible security)

[Valiant1]

Cobra 2, it's not a matter of making our security better, it's a matter of politics.  The United Nations are dictating what the US can and can't do.  We don't need the United Nations, we should do what should have been done a long time ago - let the military handle it, not the politicians - Schwarzkopf took care of the first Desert Storm w/o the interference of politicians.  It was only when we completely annihilated their military the politicians stepped in and said stop - BIG MISTAKE.  We should have taken Saddam down the first time around since we had the backing of our allies. 
Let the military take care of the battles, not the politicians. 
As for Saudi getting jets, I personally never felt they were our allies - we're only using each other for what we want - the oil from the Arabs, money from the US.  What if the King of Saudi was toppled over?  Don't you think they'll use those Typhoons, which I think are amazing aircrafts, against us?  The political climate in the Middle East is one that will remain unpredictable and delicate - one day they're your allies - the next day their your worst enemies.  Not stable enough to call allies.
Those Typhoons fall in the wrong hands, we're in for some trouble.  Those M1A2 tanks the Saudis have fall in the wrong hands, we're in for a lot of trouble. Western hi-tech weapons in the hands of a government in an unstable region should serve as a warning sign.

[Goose]

The Saudis are buying 72 Typhoons.  The rest of the deal mostly cover fleet renewal of helicopters. They're mostly buying NH90 versions.  Total worth is 7Billion.