TAIF: An aeronautics industry will be developed in the Kingdom to assemble 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets with the support of companies participating in the Economic Offset Program, Gen. Prince Abdul Rahman bin Fahd Al-Faisal, commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after receiving the first two Typhoon jets, part of the 72-aircraft deal signed with Britain’s BAE Systems, the general said the new fourth-generation planes with advanced facilities would strengthen the Kingdom’s defense capabilities.
“We have received these planes as a blessing from God and thanks to the efforts of our leadership,” Prince Abdul Rahman said.
The deal was worth 20 billion pounds ($32.9 billion).
“The Typhoon is one of the most modern fighter planes,” the general said. “These planes will not stay in a particular base. They will move around in accordance with the Kingdom’s defense requirements.”
Prince Abdul Rahman said some of the plane’s spare parts would be manufactured in the Kingdom. Since the signing of an operation and maintenance contract for these aircraft, a number of officers and engineers have been sent for training on advanced equipment by experts from the Britain’s Royal Air Force,” he said.
A ceremony was held at King Fahd Airbase in Taif to receive the two aircraft. Prince Abdul Rahman shook hands with the pilots and technicians of the plane and handed over the flag to the head of the squadron in the presence of Maj. Gen. Saad bin Ibrahim Al-Thuwaini, commander of Taif.
Maj. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, commander of the airbase, said the Typhoon jets would strengthen the fighting capabilities of the Saudi armed forces.
“We have also focused our efforts on training Saudis to operate and maintain such advanced fighter jets,” he pointed out.
Two weeks ago, Prince Khaled bin Sultan, assistant minister of defense and aviation, received the two jets at a ceremony in London. Saudi Arabia is the first country outside Europe to have the Typhoon jets.
The deal was first announced in August 2006 while the contract for the aircraft was signed in September 2007. Under the deal, BAE is to deliver 24 completely built Typhoons to the Royal Saudi Air Force while another 48 are to be assembled in the Kingdom. Prince Khaled said Saudis would be given priority in jobs in assembling and maintenance of the planes. “The acquisition of the new aircraft was not to threaten anyone but to secure the Kingdom over the coming decades,” he said in London.
