KUWAIT CITY: Islamist members of Kuwait’s Parliament presented a written statement to the government warning that a purchase of up to 28 French-built Rafale combat aircraft had raised suspicions over its cost.
The purchase remains in the planning stages and has not become official, though Kuwaiti Defense Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Sabah said in mid-March that the acquisition of the Rafale remains a defense priority.
Earlier, in November 2009, opposition members of Parliament had also voiced concern over the inflated cost of the proposed contract. The Kuwaiti Parliament then voted to hire independent accounting watchdog Audit Bureau to examine three arms deals under consideration with France and the U.S. involving an ammunition factory, as well as purchases of the Rafale and American-built Hercules transport aircraft.
The Kuwaiti Parliament has made a habit of questioning the government’s use of public funds and combing through proposed expenditures, much to the irritation of the ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and his nephew – and prime minister – Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed al-Sabah. The contentious relationship between Parliament and the prime minister has resulted in the emir dissolving Parliament three times between March 2006 and March 2009 in order to absolve his nephew from having to face public scrutiny. On each occasion, he reappointed Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed al-Sabah as prime minister after fresh parliamentary elections had been held.
The members of Parliament out in front on the subject of the Rafale purchase are four Islamist-leaning members of the Reform and Development bloc of Parliament who are campaigning against arms deals.
France and Kuwait signed a new defense agreement in October 2009, and Paris has been hopeful that Kuwait will become the first export market for Dassault Aviation’s Rafale jet fighter. Kuwait currently has a fleet of 31 F/A-18C Hornets serving as its frontline combat aircraft, but the Hornets are closing in on 20 years of service and in need of an upgrade. Its other fighters, 14 Mirage F-1s, were placed in storage in 2002.
