Saudi Typhoons

[The Basket]

Saudi Arabia have bought 72 Eurofighter Typhoons costing 4.4 Billion pounds. With maintanence and training...it could be over 20 billion quid!

Now that is plenty of the old cash coming to the UK. Nice.

 

[mkloby]

Does the UK have to share revenues with any of the other nations involved in the development of the aircraft? I take it they will be manufactured in the UK??

I am guessing that they will downgrade some of the avionics.

 

[Glider]

The aircraft are built in a number of different countries so presumably the other partners will benefit from the sale. As the lead country I would guess that the UK has an extra slice.
I am not aware of any downgrading in the equipment suite. We didn't downgrade the Tornado in any way so don't see why we should for the Typhoon.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think it is a mistake to sell the Eurofighter to the Saudis.

I dont believe there friendship is very true...

 

[Matt308]

The aircraft are built in a number of different countries so presumably the other partners will benefit from the sale. As the lead country I would guess that the UK has an extra slice.
I am not aware of any downgrading in the equipment suite. We didn't downgrade the Tornado in any way so don't see why we should for the Typhoon.

Rest assured it will be downgraded and provisions inserted (if they already haven't been) to hide the source code for the critical avionics.

 

[Matt308]

I think it is a mistake to sell the Eurofighter to the Saudis.

I dont believe there friendship is very true...

I agree. But then again, if they didn't sell them Typhoons, the French would give them Rafales and a case of wine. They can't seem to entice anyone to buy that beautiful machine.

 

[The Basket]

What the difference selling Typhoon to the Saudis? The Americans sold them F-15s.

 

[Glider]

Fair point and there is no doubt that more were on offer.

Re source code, I agree that will not be available, but thats different from downgrading the aircraft.

 

[Matt308]

You think you guys are going to give them a Typhoon with latest generation AESA and integrated processing? I don't believe it. That's only what the marketing dept would have them believe.

 

[Glider]

Yep, I believe its possible. I don't know obviously, but I do know that they had the full spec Tornado.
Maybe thats why they bought it.

 

[CharlesBronson]

think it is a mistake to sell the Eurofighter to the Saudis.

I dont believe there friendship is very true...

Selling the latest fighter to a country full of supporters of Bin laden...how much clever is that ?

 

[Matt308]

The Saudi populace may support Bin Laden... and note that that has not been demonstrated either, CB. Your comment is well taken, but ill informed. The Saudi gov't, while a fickle allie, is yet an allie that continues to provide the western world some hope and a basis for continued aid. One may argue that the reason for that is their own preservation, true, but an outright confrontational gov't in support is Islamic fundementalists would be bad for the US. And worse for the rest of the world. I hope you rest confortably knowing that King Abdullah is not overtly against capitalism and destruction of our world economy.

You might wish to contrast that with your own president. For he is bent upon destruction, with little long term goals and objectives that are visible to the sane world.

Cheers.

 

[Aussie1001]

hmm oh well i guess that if they hadn't got the typhoon they would have got something equally good or better.... Why didn't they get F22's or preorder some F35's they certinally have the money to do so....

 

[The Basket]

I am sure the Americanos would have sold them new versions of the F-16 or F-15 or F-18 if asked.

The F-22 and F-35 are hi-tec and there are doubts that America would sell even to Nato allies. Even down graded ones. It is said that even Norway would only get a very downgraded export version of the F-35.

If the Saudis didn't get Typhoon...they would go Rafale or Gripen or even Sukhoi. So they would get a jet from somewhere and someone would get paid.

 

[CharlesBronson]

You might wish to contrast that with your own president. For he is bent upon destruction, with little long term goals and objectives that are visible to the sane world.

Sorry but I dont understand a thing of what you re talking about, if you can explain better was is the "destruction" planned.

Is not ill information, is my opinion, all the region is tilting to the extremism.
In my point of view Europe is selling weapons for his own destruction.

 

[Matt308]

Sorry but I dont understand a thing of what you re talking about, if you can explain better was is the "destruction" planned.

Is not ill information, is my opinion, all the region is tilting to the extremism.
In my point of view Europe is selling weapons for his own destruction.

Apologies CB. I don't know why, but I continually confuse Kirchner with Chavez.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

What the difference selling Typhoon to the Saudis? The Americans sold them F-15s.

Different period of time is the way I see it. If the US were to sell them F-15s today I would not agree with it either.

 

[rogthedodge]

C'mon guys the whole of the western world deals with Saudi.

We all know it's the home of jihadi islam (along with Pakistan).

We all know Saudis have flooded the Islamic world with their hardline extremist Wahabbi (sp?) version of the Koran which changes 'live along-side in peace' to 'kill, kill, kill'. We know they've distributed this for free and radicalised many, many young muslims so far, and continues to do so (both)

We all know Al Quida is based funded by Saudis.

We knew all this well before 9/11, 7/7 etc etc

We all sold them kit then and we'd all do it now

For one seller to accuse another is hypocrisy IMO

Real Politik I'm afraid

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

For one seller to accuse another is hypocrisy IMO

Real Politik I'm afraid

I dont believe anyone really did that.

I think you are reading too much into the discussion...

 

[Matt308]

No argument. But I don't think that it is Saudi gov't sponsored. At least not in a blatant overt fashion. I believe the same holds true with Musharraf. Neither regime can afford to publicly embrace extremism and in fact are considered as much of an enemy to fanatic islam as the western world. This is exactly what makes radical islam so damn evil. They hate everyone equally.