UK Near Selling Typhoon to Saudi Arabia

Released on Thursday, December 22, 2005

The Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland signed an Understanding Document yesterday, 21 December 2005, which is intended to establish a greater partnership in modernizing the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces and developing close service-to-service contacts especially through joint training and exercises.

The partnership also recognizes the key objectives shared by the two Governments with regard to national security and actions to combat global terrorism, and respects the wise leadership role exercised by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in promoting regional stability.

In addition, the United Kingdom Government recognizes the need to support the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's efforts further to develop a regional defense industrial centre of excellence. In this regard, BAE SYSTEMS will invest in local Saudi companies, develop an industrial technology transfer plan, and provide suitable training for thousands of Saudi nationals providing through life support for key in service equipments.

The two Governments recognize the requirement to provide enhanced capabilities to existing military assets and ensure that they can be supported by local Saudi industry. Under the terms of the signed document Typhoon aircraft will replace Tornado Air Defense Variant aircraft and others currently in service with the RSAF.

The details of these arrangements are confidential between the two Governments.