Saudi arabia to order MORE eurofighters

uk.reuters.com...

RIYADH (Reuters) - BAE Systems is in talks with the Saudi government over a second order of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft that could be worth $38.6 billion (20 billion pounds), the Sunday Times newspaper reported on Sunday.

"BAE ... may provide as many as 70 extra combat aircraft to the Saudis, although some defence industry executives say the contract is likely to be for 48," the Times reported.

i know the saudi`s have been over in the UK actually flying the RAF`s tranche 1 aircraft and they really liked what they saw.

the likely number is 48 more - all to be available for upgrades with CEASER and tranche 3 , which will take the number the saudi`s will fly to 120

reply to post by Harlequin


And do you agree with selling these jet's to the Saudi's? I don't see a down side really, isn't it just going to create more money to further develop the fighter, why don't they buy the F-22 or F-35?

reply to post by Harlequin


Nice find Harlequin
Saudi could probably get rid of some of the older aircraft now

And now the bad news (just my thoughts).

The british government will now think, great we can sell the RAF's tranche 3 aircraft to the Saudi's since we've been trying to get out of buying them.

Since the UK government doesn't believe in having the equipment to do the job.

Isn't the reason the typhoon hasn't been deployed to Afghanistan is because the UK hasn't got enough for the deployment and still fly air patrols back home.

There first order included 24 tranche 2 aircraft from the RAF order so they could be delivered early, does anybody know if the RAF got or will get replacement for these.

Originally posted by Pockets
reply to post by Harlequin

 

And do you agree with selling these jet's to the Saudi's? I don't see a down side really, isn't it just going to create more money to further develop the fighter, why don't they buy the F-22 or F-35?

The US isn't selling the F-22 to anyone.
As for the F-35 maybe there would have to wait to long or don't want another aircraft type having already ordered typhoons.
Also maybe the weapons they want to use are or have a better chance of being integration on the typhoon at least in the short term anyway.

reply to post by deckard83


Never mind the fact that the Typhoon is a A2A fighter with a second capability of A2G where as the F-35 is the reverse of that. Basically the 35 doesn't meet up with the Saudis reason for buying the new planes so it wasn't even a real option.

reply to post by deckard83



The reason the the typhoon has not yet been sent has nothing to do with numbers, more to do the the up-rateing of the engines. Sorry I cannot find the link :-(

The last time i looked the UK had 4 typhoon unit's and 4 F3 unit's for home defense. I'm sure that that's penty considering you wound have very serious issues if you attacked the uk.

And that the RAF's role is to defend the UK and certain area's of the nato response area. The point being the raf could defend the uk with 2 unit's as NO one is going to attack the uk.

RAB

reply to post by RAB


I wouldn't want you defending my country with that sort of judgement. Nothing to back up what your saying and never mind the fact that "never" is a even more stupid word when you look at it in the context of what has considered to never be able to happen.

Do some research give some links and post again when you can prove through numbers and tactics that it would be viable to protect a entire country that way.

It's all very well selling the aircraft to Saudi Arabia but it looks like the UK still hasn't got it's share yet, Maybe we want the money more than the security for our own nation. Sums up the UK Gov't that does.

See links referring to the bases that should have the Eurofighter by now, and note those that do not.

RAF Leeming, RAF Leuchars and RAF Coningsby:

news.bbc.co.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...




[edit on 15-8-2008 by alien life uk]

Originally posted by Canada_EH
reply to post by RAB

 

I wouldn't want you defending my country with that sort of judgement. Nothing to back up what your saying and never mind the fact that "never" is a even more stupid word when you look at it in the context of what has considered to never be able to happen.

Do some research give some links and post again when you can prove through numbers and tactics that it would be viable to protect a entire country that way.

OK I give up on the engine uprating for the moment: however

www.raf.mod.uk...

The standard Uk sqadron is 12 to 15 aircraft. So 8 classed as defense assuming 12 is 12*8 = 96

I also Never said Never.

To be fair I'll post the engine up rating when I find it! But Canada thanks for giving me a kic*ing on my first post in about a year. Thanks

RAB

It isn’t just QRA that RAF Typhoons have to do, there’s also the OCU and OEU. We only have four squadrons.

You could get away with deploying Typhoons if you weren’t bothered about training new pilots or integrating new weapons.


Alien Life,

Originally posted by alien life uk
It's all very well selling the aircraft to Saudi Arabia but it looks like the UK still hasn't got it's share yet, Maybe we want the money more than the security for our own nation. Sums up the UK Gov't that does.
[edit on 15-8-2008 by alien life uk]

I would say that both money and the security of the UK are inextricably linked. If we make money off Typhoon sales we can plough it back into other defence projects. Conversely if we don’t then we’ll have to make do with what we have.

Of course there’s always a compromise, the question is would waiting a bit longer for our Typhoons be worth it. Personally I’d say yes.

Canada:

www.mod.uk...

Read page 18:

If you think I've got issues then think that: This covers both the number of deployable aircraft and the aircraft held at readiness for the QRA air defence of the UK task, the number of the latter being unchanged. i.e. 20

This is from 2004 but nothing much has changed!

RAB

Originally posted by deckard83
There first order included 24 tranche 2 aircraft from the RAF order so they could be delivered early, does anybody know if the RAF got or will get replacement for these.

Found the answer to my own question

Announcing the agreement, the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MOD) said, "Under the terms of the signed document, Typhoon aircraft will replace Tornado ADV aircraft and other aircraft currently in service with the RSAF." The details of these arrangements are confidential between the two Governments. However, the U.K. MOD went on to state, "The delivery of the initial 24 aircraft will be drawn from the U.K. Royal Air Force's (RAF) allocation of 89 Tranche 2 Typhoons, a contract which was signed in December 2004." The U.K. MOD stressed 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 U.K.'s total Typhoon purchase to 232 aircraft from the overall production."

findarticles.com...

Although I wait and see about the Tranche 3 bit.

UK has received tranche 1 so far which should be 55 aircraft. tranche 2 should start later this year

Originally posted by RAB

I also Never said Never.

To be fair I'll post the engine up rating when I find it! But Canada thanks for giving me a kic*ing on my first post in about a year. Thanks

RAB

How what better way to get your butt in gear and up to speed in remembering in how to back up statements. I'm not a rude guy but when someone runs off making a statement like that you call em to back it up! In honesty I hope others would do the same to me (and they have)

reply to post by RAB


So the RAF claims you can defend the UK with 20 aircraft? interesting though I wont say that I agree or have to agree. Yeah its there job but I have a feeling the RAF would have more if they could.

Originally posted by Canada_EH
So the RAF claims you can defend the UK with 20 aircraft? interesting though I wont say that I agree or have to agree. Yeah its there job but I have a feeling the RAF would have more if they could.

The UK isnt actually all that big, and unless we go to war with France we also have friendly airforces on basically 2 out of 4 sides (France and Norway) - 20 QRF aircraft is more than enough to handle anything that could be construed as an immediate threat.

The RAF is also getting more, another 89 at least.

Bear in mind that we also have 65 Tornado F3 aircraft in service at this moment, and another 125 GR4/GR4As which can also conduct a basic air defence role if pressed.

reply to post by RichardPrice


The RAF has 2 squadrons of Torndao F3

25 Squadron RAF Leeming (disbanded April 2008 and folded ito no 43 squadron)
43 Squadron RAF Leuchars
111 Squadron RAF Leuchars
56 (Reserve) Squadron RAF Leuchars (disbanded Feb 2008 and folded into no 43 squadron)


and 6 squadrons of GR4

9 Squadron RAF Marham
12 Squadron RAF Lossiemouth
14 Squadron RAF Lossiemouth
31 Squadron RAF Marham
617 Squadron RAF Lossiemouth
13 Squadron RAF Marham


Technically there are now more Typhoon squadrons than F3

reply to post by Harlequin


So they have, thanks for the update since they don't keep the RAF site up to date.
It's even hard to find the info on the internet when you know what your looking for.
That explains the deployment difficulty a bit more.

The main reason in going in for more planes is for Prince Bandar to fill up his coffers a little more. Now that the Saudis are assured that the British will never get in the way of lining up their pockets...