Saudi F-15SA deal details released

[Atreides 144]

Again, quite the hefty purchase. So once finalised I assume its fair to say the Saudi F-15's would then be the most advanced Eagles in the mid-east.

 

WASHINGTON, October 20, 2010 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Saudi Arabia of:

 

84 F-15SA Aircraft

170 APG-63(v)3 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (AESA) radar sets

193 F-110-GE-129 Improved Performance Engines

100 M61 Vulcan Cannons

100 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System/Low Volume Terminal (MIDS/LVT) and spares

193 LANTIRN Navigation Pods (3rd Generation-Tiger Eye)

338 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)

462 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles (NVGS)

300 AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missiles

25 Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM-9X)

25 Special Air Training Missiles (NATM-9X)

500 AIM-120C/7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)

25 AIM-120 CATMs

1,000 Dual Mode Laser/Global Positioning System (GPS) Guided Munitions (500 lb)

1,000 Dual Mode Laser/GPS Guided Munitions (2000 lb)

1,100 GBU-24 PAVEWAY III Laser Guided Bombs (2000 lb)

1,000 GBU-31B V3 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) (2000 lb)

1,300 CBU-105D/B Sensor Fuzed Weapons (SFW)/Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD)

50 CBU-105 Inert

1,000 MK-82 500lb General Purpose Bombs

6,000 MK-82 500lb Inert Training Bombs

2,000 MK-84 2000lb General Purpose Bombs

2,000 MK-84 2000lb Inert Training Bombs

200,000 20mm Cartridges

400,000 20mm Target Practice Cartridges

400 AGM-84 Block II HARPOON Missiles

600 AGM-88B HARM Missiles

169 Digital Electronic Warfare Systems (DEWS)

158 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Targeting Systems

169 AN/AAS-42 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) Systems

10 DB-110 Reconnaissance Pods

462 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System Helmets

40 Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receivers (ROVER)

80 Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Pods

 

Also included are the upgrade of the existing Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) fleet of seventy (70) F-15S multi-role fighters to the F-15SA configuration, the provision for CONUS-based fighter training operations for a twelve (12) F-15SA contingent, construction, refurbishments, and infrastructure improvements of several support facilities for the F-15SA in-Kingdom and/or CONUS operations, RR-188 Chaff, MJU-7/10 Flares, training munitions, Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices, communication security, site surveys, trainers, simulators, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support.

The estimated cost is $29.432 billion.

 

Noteworthy points:-

 

1. All existing F-15S fighters are to be upgraded to F-15SA.

 

2. IRST Included.

 

3. Harm and Harpoons included.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Atreides

[exhausted 55]

In my opinion, $29 Billion isn't bad profit for the sales. That only bad point is that it's the Saudis and Bin Laden's family runs that place. The place as a whole seems to be another repressive regime that we support. Those are some good weapons.

 

We should also discuss why a nation like Saudi Arabia hasn't been able to develop it's own aeronautical industry with indigenous designs.

[xclusiv8 35]

In my opinion, $29 Billion isn't bad profit for the sales. That only bad point is that it's the Saudis and Bin Laden's family runs that place. The place as a whole seems to be another repressive regime that we support. Those are some good weapons.

 

We should also discuss why a nation like Saudi Arabia hasn't been able to develop it's own aeronautical industry with indigenous designs.

 

Because its cheaper to buy

[exhausted 55]

Nice.

[+starfighter2 117]

"exhaused: We should also discuss why a nation like Saudi Arabia hasn't been able to develop it's own aeronautical industry with indigenous designs"

 

Why? They have $$$, why boder? I remember the time when my Country do that - a total waste. Now we make our own trainers - enough, rest of thingos we buy - it's proven to be even cheaper. Aside political "problems" when you become dependent from Country which deliver goods(spare parts etc...).

 

Cheers

Edited October 21, 2010 by starfighter2

[DWCAce 19]

I read that they are also looking to purchase about 72 UH-60's as well.

[JediMaster 451]

Yes, I noticed you don't need 170 radars for 85 planes, so they were definitely upgrading older Eagles as well.

[Nesher 628]

I read on the news they also get a few Apaches, Blackhawks and Little birds...

don't like the upgrades they.. seems too much, can change the status qou in the region

[censored 0]

The total deal (including helicopters) is expected to total some $60 billion, making it the largest single US arms sale in history.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/13/us-arms-deal-saudi-arabia

 

Significantly, the Israeli government has agreed not to oppose the sale in the US Congress. The US has reportedly agreed not to supply the Saudis with advanced stand-off weapons, and will also reportedly downgrade the performance of the aircraft's electronics.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-u-s-downgrades-saudi-arms-deal-over-israeli-concerns-1.306886

 

There is a lot of politics surrounding this deal. Right now, the Israelis are more concerned with coming to a mutual concensus on dealing with Iran than they are with the possibility that Saudi Arabia might join in the next Arab-Israeli war. On the part of the Saudi government, they have had a long history of viewing these kind of arms sales as a political deal. If a war ever does come (as it did when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990), the Saudis fully expect that the same patrons whom they bought these weapons from (the US and UK) will come and fight for them. No one expected the Royal Saudi Air Force to drive Saddam out of Kuwait. And no one today expects the Royal Saudi Air Force to take care of business with Iran.

 

According to a report by Israel's Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, Saudi Arabia does not have enough pilots and support personnel to absorb this latest arms purchase, on top of the 153 F-15C/D/S models that they already fly, and the 72 Typhoons that they are currently in the process deploying. "It is doubtful whether it is in the power of Saudi Arabia, where there is no military draft, to find enough people to man this expansion." As many of us know, Saudi Arabia already relies on foreign contractors to supply the necessary maintenance support to keep their air force flying. Add to that another 84 F-15s and they will probably have trouble finding pilots as well.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/me_gulf0812_08_24.asp

[TX3RN0BILL 3]

The total deal (including helicopters) is expected to total some $60 billion, making it the largest single US arms sale in history.

http://www.guardian....al-saudi-arabia

 

Significantly, the Israeli government has agreed not to oppose the sale in the US Congress.  The US has reportedly agreed not to supply the Saudis with advanced stand-off weapons, and will also reportedly downgrade the performance of the aircraft's electronics.

http://www.haaretz.c...ncerns-1.306886

 

There is a lot of politics surrounding this deal.  Right now, the Israelis are more concerned with coming to a mutual concensus on dealing with Iran than they are with the possibility that Saudi Arabia might join in the next Arab-Israeli war.  On the part of the Saudi government, they have had a long history of viewing these kind of arms sales as a political deal.  If a war ever does come (as it did when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990), the Saudis fully expect that the same patrons whom they bought these weapons from (the US and UK) will come and fight for them.  No one expected the Royal Saudi Air Force to drive Saddam out of Kuwait.  And no one today expects the Royal Saudi Air Force to take care of business with Iran.

 

According to a report by Israel's Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, Saudi Arabia does not have enough pilots and support personnel to absorb this latest arms purchase, on top of the 153 F-15C/D/S models that they already fly, and the 72 Typhoons that they are currently in the process deploying.  "It is doubtful whether it is in the power of Saudi Arabia, where there is no military draft, to find enough people to man this expansion."  As many of us know, Saudi Arabia already relies on foreign contractors to supply the necessary maintenance support to keep their air force flying.  Add to that another 84 F-15s and they will probably have trouble finding pilots as well.

http://www.worldtrib...f0812_08_24.asp

 

So what they're doing is giving the U.S. money for hardware that possibly the U.S. military - either openly or covertly - will be using in the war against Iran (since the saudis    don't have enough people to make use of their own stuff)? Talk about a forward deployment of military hardware, now that they're pulling out of the "hot zones" of the area (Iraq)... AND with a financial benefit for the U.S. in the mean time!!! That's what I call a smart move from the U.S.! 

Edited November 2, 2010 by TX3RN0BILL