Eurofighter Typhoon - Breaking News From Riyadh.

[Izzy1]

Saudi minister sees new UK combat jet deal soon

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is close to buying more combat aircraft from Britain, its defence minister said in remarks published on Wednesday, flagging a deal which one industry expert said may be worth 10 billion pounds.
"God willing, we hope to conclude in the near future a deal for modern planes with Britain," Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz said after talks with visiting UK defence minister John Reid, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

Sources close to the negotiations have said a deal is likely to involve Saudi Arabia buying at least 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with an option to raise that to 72.

Read more:
http://www.defencetalk.com/news/publ...cle_004536.php

Saudi minister sees British military jet deal soon
21/12/2005 08:42


RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia expects to conclude a deal with Britain for military aircraft soon, the kingdom’s defence minister said in remarks published on Wednesday.

Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, in comments reported by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, would not disclose details.

But he told reporters after talks with visiting Defence Minister John Reid: "God willing, we hope to conclude in the near future a deal for modern planes with Britain."

A senior source close to the deal told Reuters an accord might be signed later in the day after Reid meets Saudi King Abdullah.

Sources close to the negotiations had said the deal was likely to involve Saudi Arabia buying at least 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with an option to raise that to 72.

The Eurofighter consortium includes BAE Systems , Airbus parent EADS and Italy’s Finmeccanica .

[Dr Phobus]

This is good news if indeed true, the SA do have a tendecy to get into negoiations and then, they go on forever. However, typhoon, is a good choise for them, i hope they go ahead and buy it, also, eurofigther, needs the sales, it will be there 6th customer, with 1-2 other possbiles.

Interesting implications for israli and iranian AF, if purchased they will have the most capable figther in the area. I hope the saudi;s are smart enough to go for the meteor AAM and not rely on what varient of the AMRAAM the US "allows" them to have. Same with IRAAM.

Comments ?

[tphuang]

Nice, I'm sort of sick of seeing F-15 winning every competition. Typhoon will be a great addition to Saudi air force. Does anyone know how many old fighters Saudi is trying to replace?

[Dr Phobus]

Originally Posted by tphuang

Nice, I'm sort of sick of seeing F-15 winning every competition. Typhoon will be a great addition to Saudi air force. Does anyone know how many old fighters Saudi is trying to replace?

well said, infact, i find thsi interesting because there the notion that the SAF was looking to replace ligth weight units in there AF, like the F-5. I argue your seeing the trend of smaller AF but with more capablie and multi-role platforms.. In time, i imagine the typhoon will replace F-3 ADV's and maybe some early F-15's.. So if the SAf buy 48, order book stands at 686. Not to bad !!

[SABRE]

Saudis were planning on purchasing two different aircrafts, one for multi-role purpose & other for pure air defence. I was guessing that they might go for the EF-2000 & F-16 combinition. Think my guess on air superiority fighter is correct.

The multirole platform is to replace the F-5s, while the air superiority fighter will not replace the F-15s. The F-15s would go for MLU, but no more new F-15s would now be purchased. In addition the tornadoes will also go through MLU. For F-5 & other oldies I am still betting on F-16s with Mirage2000-5 & JAS-39 Gripen in the option (PAC/PAF have also given presentation on JF-17 Thunder to RSAF).

[Dr Phobus]

Originally Posted by SABRE

Saudis were planning on purchasing two different aircrafts, one for multi-role purpose & other for pure air defence. I was guessing that they might go for the EF-2000 & F-16 combinition. Think my guess on air superiority fighter is correct.

The multirole platform is to replace the F-5s, while the air superiority fighter will not replace the F-15s. The F-15s would go for MLU, but no more new F-15s would now be purchased. In addition the tornadoes will also go through MLU. For F-5 & other oldies I am still betting on F-16s with Mirage2000-5 & JAS-39 Gripen in the option (PAC/PAF have also given presentation on JF-17 Thunder to RSAF).

Indeed, F-16 fleet is more likely over, 2000-5/Gripen, they can offer a more adavnced verison (block 60), and at a good cost. Unlike others nation they can use there Falcon as strike planes verse a figther, some the falcon appears to be losing an edge in (air to air combat).

Tornado and eagle fleet will be ungraded like you say, and the SAF with be flying 4 type air force in time, 2 european planes, 2 american types, if buy falcon, nice mix !!!

[Brit]

According to the BBC the deal has been closed with BAE Systems. Assumed Eurofighter. The BAE Systems share price rose because of the news (demonstrates it's not bollocks). Number of airframes unspecified.

Speculation is that this deal may be linked to BAE Systems recently unveiled (previously secret, still little known) stealth UAV; COREX Raven. The logic follows that BAE Systems is to now openly develop a UCAV demonstrator as part of a UK UCAV program -and that the Saudi's might have a share -thus the timing of the declassification of COREX which is a key technological milestone for the UCAV program.

[typhoon]

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/ar...953223,00.html

BAE SYSTEMS was celebrating the first big export order for the Eurofighter last night after Britain and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding that could secure £10 billion of work for the British firm and its sub-contractors.
It is thought that up to 72 Typhoon jets will be delivered to the kingdom from 2008, but neither government would confirm the size of the order.



The agreement to replace British-made Tornados and other jets with Eurofighter Typhoons is seen as a significant breakthrough for the Eurofighter, which so far has been sold only to the air forces of the home manufacturing countries — Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain — and Austria.

The huge order, which has been under negotiation for most of this year, is seen as confirmation that the jet can sell around the world. There had been fears that Eurofighter work could dry up in the next few years as a long-planned third tranche has yet to be finally confirmed. President Chirac of France has also been lobbying hard to try to persuade Saudi Arabia to buy the French-built Rafael jet.

The Ministry of Defence said that the partnership recognised actions by both governments to “combat global terrorism� and would safeguard thousands of jobs over the next ten years in the UK, where BAE Systems builds the Eurofighter.

Shares in BAE soared to a three-year high yesterday, closing more than 6 per cent up at 369½p, after the accord was confirmed.

The agreement will also secure 4,000 jobs at Rolls-Royce, which supplies the engines for the jet, and will help to underpin thousands of jobs in companies that supply parts to the jets, including Cobham, Ultra Electronics, EADS, Meggitt and Smiths.

Colin Green, defence aerospace president at Rolls-Royce, said: “This will mean a lot to everyone associated with the Eurofighter and will go far to confirm its real potential in the global market.�

The first 24 jets to be delivered to the Royal Saudi Air Force will be diverted from an allocation of 89 that had been assigned to the Royal Air Force from the second tranche of the programme. The MoD said that the decision to divert aircraft from the RAF would have no impact on operations.

BAE said in a statement that it welcomed the announcement. Under the agreement, BAE will provide so-called through-life service for the aircraft, as well as training and support to the Saudi Air Force. The company will invest in Saudi companies and transfer some technological expertise to Saudi firms, so that Saudi nationals undertake more of the service work.

[Dr Phobus]

Originally Posted by Brit

According to the BBC the deal has been closed with BAE Systems. Assumed Eurofighter. The BAE Systems share price rose because of the news (demonstrates it's not bollocks). Number of airframes unspecified.

Speculation is that this deal may be linked to BAE Systems recently unveiled (previously secret, still little known) stealth UAV; COREX Raven. The logic follows that BAE Systems is to now openly develop a UCAV demonstrator as part of a UK UCAV program -and that the Saudi's might have a share -thus the timing of the declassification of COREX which is a key technological milestone for the UCAV program.

Very interesting, is COREX technoology part of the UK's contribution to Neuron, or is the UK not offically in neuron ? I was reading in Jane's that the UK government basically told UK defencer industry to get buzy in relation to UCAV technology since "we" were weak in that area.

Any thoughts

[Brit]

DP, as far as I'm aware the COREX project is not part of Neron. I may be wrong but I don't think UK is part of Neuron. The COREX Raven is more akin to the Dark Star strategic UAV rather than a potential interdictor, but the technology is what counts.

Sweden also flew their stealth UAV, the Saab FILUR just recently. it was part of the Neuron game. BUT, I just heard late last night that Swedish news is saying that Saab has just dropped out of Neuron(!!!!!!). I don't speak Swedish and Saab hasn't put anything on their site so I'm not sure whether it's accurate. Just speculation but maybe Saab are going to throw in their lotr with their chums BAE?

[fieldmarshal]

Saudi Arabia commits to Eurofighter Typhoon deal

http://www.flightinternational.com

Saudi Arabia has signed an expanded military agreement with the UK government under which the kingdom intends to acquire at least 24 Eurofighter Typhoons to replace its current air force fleet of Panavia Tornado air defence variant (ADV) fighters.
Contained within a so-called “understanding document”, the multi-billion pound Typhoon buy would form the cornerstone of a third phase to the bilateral Al Yamamah arms agreement, which has already covered the delivery and support of 120 Tornado ADV and interdictor strike (IDS) aircraft, BAE Systems Hawk and Pilatus PC-9 trainers and other equipment.
Announcing the agreement on 21 December, the UK Ministry of Defence said: “Under the terms of the signed document Typhoon aircraft will replace Tornado ADV aircraft and others currently in service with the RSAF [Royal Saudi Air Force]”. The MoD says this will cover the delivery of 24 aircraft to be drawn from the UK Royal Air Force’s production run of 89 Tranche 2 Eurofighters, a £4.3 billion ($7.5 billion) contract for which was signed in December 2004. However, the MoD stresses that the RAF will receive additional Tranche 2 airframes to offset this transfer, and that the Saudi Arabian deal will have no impact on its commitment to sign a Tranche 3 deal to take the UK’s total Typhoon purchase to 232 aircraft.
Further information on an expanded Typhoon purchase by Riyadh to potentially also replace some of its air force Northrop F-5 fighters has not been disclosed. “The details of these arrangements are confidential between the two governments”, the MoD says. While a timescale for deliveries has not been publicly disclosed, Tranche 2 deliveries are scheduled to run from between late 2007 and mid-2012 for Eurofighter partner nations Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, plus launch export customer Austria, which will acquire 18 aircraft.
The new agreement also seeks to further develop Saudi Arabia’s national aerospace industry through the transfer of technology from prime contractor BAE and the establishment of in-country support facilities. The pact also includes a framework for “developing closer service-to-service contacts, especially through joint training and exercises” between the Saudi and UK armed forces, the MoD says.
BAE on 21 December notified the London Stock Exchange of the terms of the understanding document with Saudi Arabia, but declines to comment further on the possible future business. The company is, meanwhile, also in the process of promoting an extensive upgrade to Saudi Arabia’s current fleet of Tornado IDS aircraft in a step to further boost the value of its Al Yamamah business activities, which are managed through its Customer Solutions and Support business unit

CRAIG HOYLE/LONDON

[WebMaster]

Thread merged.

Fieldmarshal, you are kinda late in the party. Please check and look before you repost the topic.

[Brit]

Forgot to mention that it seems logical that upgrade of the Saudi Tornado IDS (equiv GR1) is part of the deal although unconfirmed. Another credible possibility is the modification of Tornado ADV (equiv F3) airframes to SEAD with ALARM, as has been done on some RAF airframes. One big issue is the production of ALARM, which I'd heard ceased many years ago -so RAF stocks must be low these days and yet it is the SEAD missile of the Typhoon...


On other Typhoon news the Meteor BVRM is undergoing an extensive flight test program on Typhoon, Gripen and Rafale. Live launch scheduled for early 2006, first from a Gripen. I'd guess that Meteor is part of Saudi Plans.

[fieldmarshal]

Originally Posted by WebMaster

Thread merged.

Fieldmarshal, you are kinda late in the party. Please check and look before you repost the topic.

sorry matie

[Dr Phobus]

I agree they will more than likely go for Meteor, IRAAM's who knows proabably AIM-9X. However, they will have proabably the best figther in the region. I wonder what israel thinks of this, saying that, i do not seem them as dire enermies, both have strong strong ties with the west/usa. Looks like the SAF will replace some F-5 with typhoon, i am not surprized, smaller, yet more capable fleets.

Alarm 2, I did not know it was out of production !