Saudi Arabia - the preferred partner of the West?
By participating in military operations in Yemen, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is active in a wider conflict between Sunni and Shiite regimes that fight for their influence in the region. As the struggle becomes more fierce and fierce, and in the course of it civilians suffer, there are questions about the role of the West in these conditions.
Although the West is only an episodic player with its limited intervention, it still plays an important role in maintaining the military potential of the regimes in the Middle East and, in particular, Saudi Arabia.
Bruce Riedel, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said President Obama "is the most enthusiastic arms dealer in Saudi Arabia for all of America’s history, Rescued from their sale a total of 110 billions of dollars from the moment his presidency began.
But this is not only the United States. The sums that Riyadh spends on Western military equipment are evidence that he is a very valuable client, for the sake of favor of which the governments of western countries climb from skin.
Ironically, the Wahhabi form of Islam, which Saudi Arabia exports all over the world and is funded by its oil magnates, is the source of much of the extremism that today unobstructedly captures the minds and souls of millions of people. The country is also one of the most repressive regimes and opposes most of the democratic values promoted by the West.
But, if you want to get more information about why the Saudi regime is such a valuable customer and how deeply the West and industry are involved, here are some facts and figures about recent purchases in the field of ground weapons:
The Saudi army is eager to expand its fleet of major combat tanks up to 700 cars. The latest M1A1 / A2 tank deal with the United States for the Overseas Military Equipment Sales (FMS) program was announced in August. The Saudis buy 153 tanks worth $ 1,15 billion. Interestingly, 20 of them should replace tanks lost or damaged during the conflict in Yemen, where Saudi forces are fighting Hussite rebels. Several old M60 Patton tanks were lost, and according to some sources, from Iranian anti-tank missiles.
These additional vehicles will be added to the Saudi Army’s fleet consisting of 373 M1 Abrams tanks. Modernization of older platforms has proven to be a more profitable business over the past decades than regular sales of new weapons.
Contractor, US General Dynamics Land Systems, upgrades these tanks to the more modern standard M1A2S. These 373 vehicles worth a total of 2,9 billion dollars were purchased as part of the FMS program, the deal involves the purchase of 58 tanks M1A2S and the upgrading of another 315 units.
Tank orders are more than ever at the hands of GD, which has production facilities in Lima, Ohio, that need and must be loaded as the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have come to an end. The upgrades include Smith Industries navigation systems, Raytheon sights and fire control systems and Chrysler electrical systems.
In addition, the company is expected to supply LAV III 8x8 Saudi Army vehicles for a total of 10-13 billions of dollars.
Over the past 15 years, the company has already supplied the Saudi National Guard over 1000-like machines. Worth noting the two most recent deals: in 2007, 124 machines for 631 million dollars and the second in 2011 for 73 machines for 263 million dollars.
However, the contract with the army is expected to include significantly more cars. For some machines, the Belgian company Cockerill will deliver its CT-CV 105HP and CMCT towers.
Nexter, a French company, is supplying an unnamed amount of Aravis 73x4 patrol vehicles to Saudi Arabia with 4 armored vehicles, with plans to increase this number to 200 in subsequent contracts. The company also delivered the 32 155-mm Caesar self-propelled gun to the chassis of the Mercedes 6x6 truck in accordance with the 210 million dollar contract issued in the 2011 year. Earlier, the French have already delivered two batches of Caesar 80 and 20 installations.
Another French company, Renault, sold 100 VAB 4x4 armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia for approximately 40-50 million within a three billion contract with Paris. Originally, the cars were destined for Lebanon, but the deal did not go through and therefore Saudi Arabia took these armored cars to itself.
Saudi Arabia is also upgrading its obsolete M113 armored personnel carriers. She has been doing this since 2004, and has already updated half of the 2000 machines she plans to upgrade.
Turkish manufacturer FNSS (partly owned by the British BAE Systems) performs this work by supplying kits for installation on machines in Saudi Arabia. The last batch of 500 machines cost 360 millions of dollars to the Arabs. MTU supplied a certain number of engines, and Allison, respectively, their transmissions.
The Spanish company URO delivered 30 machines to Vamtac, and although Riyadh also ordered 950 BMP-3 armored vehicles from Russia, it is unlikely that the deal will be further developed, since the relationship of these countries is rather complicated.
And this is only a small part of the Saudis' efforts to re-equip their ground forces. Military cooperation with Western governments and defense departments has been going on for decades. In the land sector, cooperation is interesting in that weapons are bought for two separate armies, the Saudi army, also known as the royal Saudi ground forces and the National Guard of Saudi Arabia (SANG).
The Guard is an armed force that is directly subordinate to the royal family and is designed to keep it in power in the event that the loyalty of the army is questioned in the event of any internal difficulties.
The speed with which SANG develops and the funds invested in it indicate that the regime is preoccupied with recent dictatorships in other countries and wants to ensure its own survival. And this is only the sphere of ground weapons. The close defense ties between the Saudi ruling house and Western governments are based on a series of huge contracts for new and modernized tanks and armored vehicles that make Saudi ground forces the most modern in the region. But, we can confidently say that most of the investments and closer relations between the Saudi House and the West are based on the purchase of military aviation.
Funds spent on land weapons, it is a penny compared with the expenditure on the air force. Helicopters, fighters, bombers, and transport aircraft purchased from the United States and Europe, significantly outnumber the cost of ground vehicles and warships; in the military-air sphere, the contacts are very close.
As an illustration of this, December 13 Saudi Arabia received its first four of the 152 upgraded fighters Boeing F-15SA (Saudi, advanced).
But, the most significant event in this area in recent years has been the purchase of fighters, when the Saudi Air Force chose the Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role fighter to replace the Tornado and in addition to the existing one the fleet F-15C / D fighters. American made
These Typhoon fighters were taken from the party that BAE Systems had intended for the British Air Force, that is, the priority that the Saudis have here is perfectly visible. Initially, in 2007, a deal worth 8,86 billion dollars on a 72 aircraft delivered in three lots (three lots in 24) was finalized. This year, the second batch was delivered, and the third batch is in the process of implementation. BAE is negotiating the sale of another 48 aircraft, but suddenly thought about the human rights that complicate the relationship, and, therefore, the chances of a contract are not very high.
However, in 2012, BAE Systems signed a contract worth 2,5 billion for training aircraft, including 22 Hawk, 55 Pilatus PC-21, simulators and technical support. Delivery of Hawk aircraft was to begin at the end of last year after the delivery of the PC-21 aircraft was completed. The company also supplies the Cirrus SR22 aircraft.
Modernization of existing fighters remains the most profitable business for Western industry. The Saudi Air Force wants to retain around 2025 Tornado fighter jets for up to 84, with the aircraft themselves, associated weapons and electronic systems. The third stage of the modernization of 2,5 billion dollars was signed with BAE Systems in 2014 year. Raytheon supplies the Paveway IV bombs, MBDA with its Storm Shadow ammunition, and Thales Damocles suspension containers.
However, the largest deal of dollars between the United States and Saudi Arabia for 60 billion was announced in 2010 year. The largest section of the 29,4 contract worth a billion dollars was signed at 2011 on the 84 new Boeing F-15SA Strike Eagle, which also included upgrading the existing fleet. The first four aircraft, including two new F015SA and two upgraded F-15S, arrived at the Saudi Arabia 13 December. Saudi Air Forces already have X-NUMX F-59C, 15 F-21D and 15 F-68S fighters.
Outdated F-15 aircraft had already received new channels of communication under the previous contract for 34,8 million with Data Link Solutions (a joint venture between BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins) in 2007 and engines (2007-2008's contracts with GE Aviation total cost of 750 million dollars), but the last transaction led to the flow of new contracts.
In 2012, Goodrich (now UTC Aerospace) received 183 million dollars in outboard containers and logistic support, BAE Systems 367 million on electronic warfare systems, Boeing 18,4 million on the installation of eight containers. In 2013, Lockheed Martin received a contract worth 253,4 million on an unnamed topic, and a second contract worth 21,4 million for containers with target intelligence equipment and target designation as part of a long-term contract for these containers worth approximately 220 million dollars. Raytheon received three contracts worth 33,4 million for electronic and software. But ahead of the rest of the world here is Boeing, which secured 3,5 a billion dollars in the form of supplying kits for upgrading 68 F-15S aircraft to SA standard.
Saudi Arabia is also in the process of modernizing its helicopter fleet, which consists of shock, multi-purpose, universal and light helicopters manufactured by well-known Western firms.
Under the 2010 contract of the year, Saudi Arabia acquired Apache AH-60 Block III helicopters and corresponding weapons worth 64 billion. 9,7 helicopters are for the Saudi Guard, 10 for the ground forces and 24 for the Saudi National Guard, the second army to ensure the safety of the royal family.
The US Department of Defense in 2013 announced that one of the contracted Apache helicopters is estimated at 333 million dollars, and the modernization of the existing tens of millions.
Boeing has upgraded 12 Apache AH-64A attack helicopters (most likely national guard helicopters) to the “D” standard for about 400 million dollars. This contract with Lockheed Martin, issued in 2012, includes installation of sights worth 66,6 million dollars. He followed the previous year's contract worth 15,3 million. Saudi ground forces accepted deliveries of AH-64E in the “Guardian” variant from Boeing, and Lockheed Martin “jumped in” and delivered target systems for this variant on 2015 million dollars in 10.
Meanwhile, Boeing will supply the National Guard 24 light reconnaissance and attack helicopters AH-6i Little Bird under a contract worth 234,7 million, which was announced in 2014 year, although there was some delay here and the delivery of the helicopters is still pending.
In the 2008 year, the XHUMX UH-22L Blackhawk helicopter was contracted to the amount of 60 millions, but 286 machines are currently purchased. In the 24 year, the purchase of XHUMX UH-2010M transport helicopters, of which 60 of which will go to the National Guard, was also included as part of the purchase of 72 aircraft worth billions of dollars. The latest contract announced by 60 September 24 of the year includes the supply of helicopters worth 30 million by Sikorsky 2016.
Sikorsky has business in many countries and upgrades the 12 Blackhawk multipurpose S-70A helicopters to standard “L” with a total value of 60-80 million, and also supplies 10 Navy MH-60R helicopters for Saudi fleets at 145 million dollars. This part of the total 1,9 billion deal, which was announced in 2015, also includes the supply of many electronic, sensor and weapon systems to 11,8 millions from SAIC, 66 millions from Raytheon and 117 millions from Lockheed Martin.
MD Helicopters supplied 12 MD National Guard 530F National Guard aircraft worth 40,7 million; shipments ended in 2013.
With regard to transport aircraft, the Saudi air force wants to replace outdated military transport aircraft C-130E. A request for a program to sell weapons to foreign countries on new and modernized C-130 worth 6,7 billion was published in 2012 year. Contracts will be awarded in stages and Lockheed Martin has already received 2013 million and 2015 million in the X-NUMX and 181 years respectively for work on the C-662 aircraft. The first two KC-130 transporters were delivered early last year.
Saudi Arabia also buys eight An-132 military transport aircraft and 30 An-178 multipurpose transport aircraft from Ukraine. Some of them will be built in the country under an agreement with the Saudi state-owned company Taqina Aeronautics. Subcontracts were signed last year with Pratt & Whitney for engines and Liebherr Aerospace for air control systems, as well as Esterline CMC, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell and Broetje-Automation. Both solutions can cost up to $ 90 million.
The air force is upgrading its five E-3A long-range radar detection and control aircraft in accordance with three main contracts. The largest newest avionics modernization program, Block 40 / 45, worth up to 2 billion, was announced in 2014 year. Previously, Boeing upgraded radar and command and control systems worth up to 400 millions, which was first announced in 2007 and ended this year. The main subcontractor here was Northrop Grumman, who grabbed a piece of at least 260 million worth. 49,2 million dollar communication terminals were added to 2007-2009 by Boeing and Data Link Solutions.
Saudi Arabian Air Force also bought Saab 2000 Erieye DRLO aircraft from Saab in 2010 for 667 millions, which was delivered in 2014 for the year.
Other aviation acquisitions include several Beechcraft King Air 350i light transport aircraft modified by Raytheon for reconnaissance, surveillance and information gathering. They are equipped with reconnaissance equipment worth 257 million dollars. The Air Force also bought three MultiRole Tanker Transport tankers from Airbus for a total of 500 millions.
Modern, well-equipped and well-funded air forces make Saudi Arabia a major regional player. Buying the latest aircraft, weapons, sensors, and computer systems from Western suppliers, the Saudi regime maintains friendships with several powerful friends and is an invaluable customer.
Until recently, Saudi Arabia avoided military operations, and now seeks to come to the fore, and not modestly remain in the role of extras. But, playing with its muscles in Yemen, and at the same time supporting certain groups in Syria, this country is becoming an increasingly uncomfortable partner for Western governments and industry.
Materials used:
www.shephardmedia.com
www.gdls.com
www.baesystems.com
www.lockheedmartin.com
www.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
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