U.S. Seals $30 Billion Deal to Sell Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia

[JAISWAL]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is poised to announce the sale of nearly $30 billion worth of F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The deal will send 84 new fighter jets and upgrades for 70 more, for a total of $29.4 billion, according to the officials, who requested anonymity because the sale has not been made public.

The agreement boosts the military strength of Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, at a time when the Obama administration is looking to counter Iranian threats in the region. Underscoring that effort was a fresh threat this week from Tehran, which warned that it could disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital Persian Gulf oil transport route, if Washington levies new sanctions targeting Iran's crude oil exports.

About a year ago, the administration got the go-ahead from Congress for a 10-year, $60 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia that included F-15s, helicopters and a broad array of missiles, bombs and delivery systems, as well as radar warning systems and night-vision goggles.

The plan initially raised concerns from pro-Israeli lawmakers, but U.S. officials reassured Congress that Israel's military edge would not be undercut by the sale. Additionally, there is now broad agreement among Israel, the Gulf Arab states and the West that Iran poses a significant and unpredictable threat.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter regional rivals. Tensions between them were further stoked earlier this year after the U.S. accused Iran of plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. in Washington.

Saudi Arabia is already the most militarily advanced of the Arab Gulf states, one of the richest countries in the world, and central to American policy in the Middle East. It is also vital to U.S. energy security, with Saudi Arabia ranking as the third-largest source of U.S. oil imports.

AP sources: US to sell F-15s to Saudi Arabia - Yahoo! News
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[ashdoc]

what is the version they are selling ?

will it have the stealth features of the stealthy F 15 ( SILENT EAGLE ) ??

 

[ejazr]

U.S. Seals $30 Billion Deal to Sell Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia - WSJ.com

The Obama administration said it has reached a $30 billion agreement to sell advanced fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia, part of a broader push by Washington to counter Iranian power.

The government-to-government deal announced on Thursday includes the sale of 84 new F-15 fighter jets and an upgrade of 70 others.

The package, which follows more than a year of discussions, comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and the U.S., and will help beef up the military of one of Washington's principal Middle East allies.

"This agreement reinforces the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a strong Saudi defense capability as a key component to regional security," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

The White House also cast the agreement as one that would help give a lift to the U.S. economy, saying it would generate more than 50,000 manufacturing and supplier jobs in 44 states. The F-15s are manufactured by Boeing Co. in St. Louis.

Dennis Muilenburg, head of Boeing's defense segment, said in an interview the sale was a very important deal that reinforced the company's strategy of expanding international sales.

Boeing has set a target of making international business account for around 25% or 30% of defense segment revenues, up from a 7% share around five years ago.

"We're well on our way of achieving that" with the Saudi deal, Mr. Muilenburg said.

Boeing said the deal would create jobs in Saudi Arabia as well as in the U.S. Mr. Muilenburg said the sale would include Saudi industrial participation, including parts assembly and manufacturing at a facility in Riyadh.

Sales of advanced U.S. military equipment to allies in the Middle East have been a concern for Israel, which is keen to preserve its military edge.

U.S. officials have sought to reassure Israel that the fighter deal would benefit Israel's security by bolstering moderate allies in the Gulf.

The fighter sale "will not have an impact on Israel's qualitative military edge," said Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro in Washington.

"We did not gin up a package in response to current events in the region," he said, pointing out that Congress had received formal notification of the deal.

The Obama administration informed Congress last year of a plan to sell Saudi Arabia up to $60 billion in new weaponry, including the F-15s. While some lawmakers expressed reservations about the proposal, Congress didn't move to block the deal.

The Israeli Embassy in Washington didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. officials have said the F-15s would be highly capable aircraft, comparable to the F-15s operated by South Korea and Singapore.

The new and upgraded fighters would be Saudi Arabia's "most capable and versatile aircraft" and could carry a range of precision-guided weapons and air-to-air missiles, said James Miller, U.S. principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy.

The first of the new aircraft are expected to be delivered around 2015.

Anthony Cordesman, a defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Israeli military's concerns about Iran outweighed the potential risks Israel might perceive from Saudi Arabia or other Arab states acquiring improved military hardware.

"It's not as if it came as a surprise to anyone in Israel," he said.

 

[Nagraj]

in related news
Saudi Arabia Buys 84 St. Louis-Made Boeing F-15 Fighter Jets - KTVI


BRIDGETON, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
Call it a big holiday present for St. Louis Boeing workers. The Obama administration is reportedly set to announce a major sale of F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

The F-15s are made in St. Louis.

Here are the specifics that we know so far. Under this deal, 84 new F-15 fighter jets will be sold to Saudi Arabia and 70 more will be upgraded.
The sale totals nearly $30 billion.

The F-15s have been a staple at the St. Louis Boeing facility for years and this deal could mean good news for the St. Louis work force.

Saudi Arabia already has many F-15s and is the most militarily advanced of the Arab Gulf States.

Saudi Arabia is a key ally to the U.S. in the Middle East. This sale comes at a time when the Obama administration is trying to deal with Iranian threats.

We don't about any timetable for when the Saudi jets might start being produced.

 

[Armand2REP]

The only thing related is that the F-15 buy is the end of any hope for EF selling anymore to SKA.

 

[SajeevJino]

General Dynamics Gets $10B Saudi Arms Order​

The Canadian subsidiary of US arms maker General Dynamics has won a $10 billion order for armored vehicles for Saudi Arabia, Canada's Trade Minister Ed Fast announced Friday.

The vehicles will be produced by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS) in London, Ontario, and the deal could be worth up to $13 billion if all options are exercised, according to securities filings.

The agreement also includes associated equipment, training and support services, said a statement.

Fast said the 14-year "landmark contract" will create and sustain more than 3,000 jobs in Canada, and give a boost to more than 500 companies across Canada that supply parts and materials to General Dynamics.

"This is an Olympic win for Canada and for Canadian manufacturers," commented Danny Deep, vice president of GDLS.

"It shows how great people in truly innovative companies like GDLS can compete internationally and bring home the gold."

Canada's advanced manufacturing sector supports 1.7 million Canadians and posted combined revenues in 2012 of $164.6 billion, according to the most recent government figures.

Canadian trade with Saudi Arabia is relatively modest at Can$900 million last year, but Fast has sought to change that by embarking on two trade missions to Riyadh in the past two years.


General Dynamics Gets $10B Saudi Arms Order | Defense News | defensenews.com