Saudi Arabia seeks to renovate its British planes
Saudi Arabia-UK, Politics, 10/11/2005

Saudi Arabian sources said that the government may agree to finalize a deal ranging between 2 to 3 billion dollars to renovate the British Tornado jet fighters, in the framework of plans to enhance its armed forces.

The sources ruled out Saudi Arabia to sign bigger contracts to buy new planes from BAE Systems company or its rivals before the second half of next year.

This came after Saudi Arabia bought 120 Tornado fighters, according to al-Yamamah agreement in 1985 which was considered the largest deal for exporting weapons in the history of Britain.

The Saudi defense ministry said last week that several countries including Britain expressed its interest to provide Saudi Arabia with modern planes. BAE Systems company was also seeking to win a contract for renovating old planes of Tornado type.

Press reports said that the Saudi King, Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz, agreed to a deal of a value of five billion dollars with the company to modernize 64 Tornado planes IDS type, and to replace new planes instead of 32 planes of IDF defense plane, though it said it did not sign any contracts.

Previous Stories:
  Saudi Arabia denies negotiations over weapons deal with Britain   (10/3/2005)
  Guardian Unlimited : Saudi Arabia links huge arms deal to expelling dissidents   (10/1/2005)
  Riyadh appoints new ambassador to London   (8/9/2005)

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