Armée Saoudienne / Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia

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Citation :

WASHINGTON, November 28, 2012 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress November 26 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for technical services to recertify the functional shelf life of up to 300 PATRIOT Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) (MIM-104D) Guidance Enhanced Missiles and associated equipment, parts, training nd logistical support for an estimated cost of $130 million.
The Government of Saudi Arabia has requested a possible sale of technical services to recertify the functional shelf life of up to 300 PATRIOT Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) (MIM-104D) Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM), modernization of existing equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, U.S. Government and contractor representatives logistics, engineering, and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $130 million.
This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an important partner which has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.
The proposed recertification program will allow the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces to extend the shelf life of the PAC-2 missiles in its inventory for an additional twelve years.
The proposed recertification program will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, Massachusetts. The recertification process will be performed by Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale
Implementation of this proposed sale will require one contractor representative to travel to the Missile Assembly Disassembly Facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on an extended basis for missile assembly/disassembly support, system checkout, training and technical and logistics support.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2012/Saudi_Arabia_12-65.pdf

bizarre…. Seulement recertification program ?
Après les commandes des voisins et surtout la dernière commande d’avant hier pour le C4I je m’attendais plutôt à une commande THAAD ou PAC3…bizarre

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05 septembre 2015 16:09:46 LE FIGARO - Le Figaro - Le Flash Actu
Dix soldats saoudiens déployés au Yémen ont été tués dans l'explosion hier d'un entrepôt de munitions près de Sanaa, explosion qui a coûté aussi la vie à 45 militaires émiratis , indiquent aujourd'hui des médias saoudiens. Il s'agit des premières victimes parmi les forces saoudiennes en territoire yéménite depuis que l'Arabie saoudite a pris la tête fin mars d'une coalition arabe pour mener des frappes contre les rebelles. L'explosion a été provoquée par un missile tiré par les rebelles, selon une source militaire. Article complet sur 10 soldats saoudiens tués au Yemen

Rip

alah yr7amhom

Citation :

The Saudi-led coalition has deployed the Patriot Air Defense System to Yemen By Dylan Vosman - Sep 8, 2015











Read more at: http://defence-blog.com/news/the-saudi-led-coalition-has-deployed-the-patriot-air-defense-system-to-yemen.html

Citation :

Cinq soldats saoudiens tués sur la frontière yéménite 0
par AFP le 14 septembre 2015 à 04:14


Cinq soldats saoudiens ont été tués sur la frontière avec le Yémen, a annoncé dans la nuit de dimanche à lundi la coalition commandée par Riyad qui mène depuis mars des opérations militaires au Yémen contre les rebelles chiites.

Un communiqué de la coalition ne précise pas quand, ni dans quelles conditions les militaires – un soldat du rang et quatre garde-frontières – ont péri dans la région de Najran, dans le sud du royaume, indiquant simplement qu’ils sont morts «dans l’exercice de leurs fonctions en protégeant les frontières de la nation».

Il s’agit des plus lourdes pertes dans un incident frontalier annoncées par la coalition depuis le 26 mars, début de la campagne de frappes aériennes au Yémen visant à empêcher les rebelles chiites houthis, qui se sont emparés depuis l’an dernier de vastes régions dont la capitale, Sanaa, et Aden, de prendre la totalité du pays.

En juin, la coalition avait annoncé la mort de quatre Saoudiens et de dizaines de Yéménites dans des combats, lorsque des forces de l’ancien président du Yémen avaient attaqué la frontière en plusieurs endroits.

Plusieurs mois de bombardements aériens de la coalition ont échoué à repousser les Houthis, qui n’ont commencé à reculer que lorsque la coalition a envoyé sur place des blindés, des troupes et des combattants yéménites formés en Arabie Saoudite.

Des forces pro-gouvernementales yéménites, appuyées par la coalition, ont lancé dimanche une grande offensive terrestre contre les rebelles pro-iraniens, au moment où des pourparlers de paix annoncés par l’ONU semblent compromis.

Riyad avait formé sa coalition de pays arabes en soutien au président yéménite en exil Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, par crainte que les Houthis, en contrôlant tout le Yémen, le fassent passer dans la zone d’influence de l’Iran chiite, rival régional de l’Arabie sunnite.

Au moins 60 personnes, la plupart des militaires, ont été tuées en Arabie saoudite par des bombardements et des affrontements sur la frontière yéménite depuis les premières attaques de la coalition.

Dix autres soldats saoudiens ont été tués au Yémen même ce mois-ci. Ils faisaient partie d’un groupe de 60 soldats de la coalition tués lorsque leur base a été frappée par un missile, dans la province de Marib.

Selon l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), plus de 4500 personnes, dont une majorité de civils, ont été tuées dans les combats au Yémen depuis mars.



http://www.45enord.ca/2015/09/cinq-soldats-saoudiens-tues-sur-la-frontiere-yemenite/

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Saudi pilot killed in helicopter crash
By Dylan Vosman - Sep 14, 2015






Saudi Arabia’s military blamed a “technical error” for a helicopter crash that killed a pilot during a training mission on Sunday. The air force machine went down in the Taif area, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the border with Yemen. A defense ministry statement said the pilot was on a “routine training trip.” Since March 26, a Saudi-led Arab air coalition has been bombing Iran-backed Houthi militia group in Yemen, while also assisting local anti-rebel forces on the ground. Coalition helicopters have joined the fight. In late August, two pilots died when a coalition Apache gunship crashed in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan district along the border. Houthis said they had shot down an Apache in the same region. On Sunday, anti-rebel forces in Yemen began a major offensive aimed at pushing the Houthis out of Marib province and eventually moving on the capital Sanaa which the Houthis seized last year.

Read more at: http://defence-blog.com/news/saudi-pilot-killed-in-helicopter-crash.html

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Saudi Navy Set to Order American Littoral Combat Ships © AP Photo/ Lockheed-Martin via U.S. Navy, File
MIDDLE EAST
00:04 16.09.2015(updated 01:27 16.09.2015)

Saudi Arabia has selected a variant of a warship Lockheed Martin is building for the US Navy as the frigate for the kingdom's Eastern Fleet modernization program, a source told Defense News.

The frigates sale will be the cornerstone of the modernization of the Royal Saudi Navy's eastern fleet and its aging US warships in the Arabian Gulf.


A letter of request from the Saudi Navy that detailed requirements for the program was signed in early August, the source said, and the Saudis have asked the US Navy and Lockheed to complete a letter of agreement by November, Defense News reported.
The deal calls for four frigates capable of hosting Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters.
Saudi and US officials also are finalizing a $1.9 billion deal to buy 10 MH-60R helicopters, which can be used for anti-submarine warfare and other missions. Lockheed is in the process acquiring Sikorsky.
The ships are also expected to be fitted with a vertical launch system that can accommodate surface-to-air missiles.
The entire Eastern Fleet expansion program is expected to cost between $16 billion and $20 billion and also includes patrol boats, three maritime patrol aircraft, and 30 to 50 unmanned aerial vehicles, Defense News Reported.


A letter of request from the Saudi Navy that detailed requirements for the program was signed in early August, the source said, and the Saudis have asked the US Navy and Lockheed to complete a letter of agreement by November, Defense News reported.
The deal calls for four frigates capable of hosting Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters.
Saudi and US officials also are finalizing a $1.9 billion deal to buy 10 MH-60R helicopters, which can be used for anti-submarine warfare and other missions. Lockheed is in the process acquiring Sikorsky.
The ships are also expected to be fitted with a vertical launch system that can accommodate surface-to-air missiles.
The entire Eastern Fleet expansion program is expected to cost between $16 billion and $20 billion and also includes patrol boats, three maritime patrol aircraft, and 30 to 50 unmanned aerial vehicles, Defense News Reported.




Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150916/1027047609.html#ixzz3lv3HsAyd

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Photo of Royal Saudi Air Force Hawk Mk.165


By Dylan Vosman - Sep 17, 2015



Royal Saudi Air Force Hawk Mk.165.

The Mk. 165 is an export variant of the AJT currently on order by the Royal Saudi Air Force. The 22 aircraft
are to be built in the UK by BAE.



http://defence-blog.com/aviation/photo-of-royal-saudi-air-force-hawk-mk-165.html

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Russia ready to export new main battle tank T-14 Armata to China, India and Saudi Arabia.

Defense Company Uralvagonzavod of Russia, manufacturer of defense products as main battle tank is ready to look at possible exports of the new-generation tanks, T-14 Armata, to foreign buyers. The T-14 Armata is the latest generation of Russian-made main battle tank which was unveiled for the first time to the public during the military parade in Moscow, May 9, 2015.



We had a lot of talks with various delegations in the framework of the recent Russian Arms Expo (RAE-2015) - all demonstrated interest in buying these products,"Uralvagonzavod’s director general Oleg Siyenko, told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

"But so far, it is beyond the current agenda. Our priority is to equip our own armed forces with state-of-the-art hardware. But from the point of view of the economy, undoubtedly, we would like to export these products in future."

He said among potential buyer could be countries with big defense budgets, such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar. "Sure, there is interest from Europe too," he noted.

Earlier, Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov said Russia was ready to discuss with its foreign partners possible supplies of Armata tanks after 2020, when Uralvagonzavod was through with the orders under the state armaments program.




The T-14 main battle tank is based on the Armata Universal Combat Platform. The Armata has more firepower than the latest generation of main battle tank T-90. The Armata is fitted with a new unmanned remote weapon station turret. Russian experts believe that the appearance of the remotely controlled gun would eventually lead to the development of a fully robotic tank which could be deployed as part of a spearhead in the offensive.

The new unmanned remote turret of Armata T-14 is equipped with new generation of 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun with an automatic loader and 32 rounds ready to use. The main gun can fire also new laser-guided missile with a range from 7 to 12 km.

The T-14 Armata is equipped with the Active Protection System (APS) Afghanit which seems similar to the Israeli Trophy able to intercept and destroy incoming missiles and rockets.The system is designed to work against all types of anti-tank missiles and rockets, including handheld weapons such as rocket propelled grenades.

http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/russia_ready_to_export_new_main_battle_tank_t-14_armata_to_china_india_and_saudi_arabia_12109153.html

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New-generation Hawk makes Saudi Arabia-focused flight debut

22 SEPTEMBER, 2015 BY: CRAIG HOYLE LONDON


BAE Systems has conducted the first flight of a new-generation Hawk advanced jet trainer for Saudi Arabia.

Flown from the company’s Warton final-assembly site in Lancashire on 16 September, the aircraft – which currently bears the UK registration ZB101 – is one of 22 Mk 165 examples on order for the Royal Saudi air force. The debut sortie was performed by BAE test pilot Andy Blyth, and is “the first in a series of test flights”, according to the manufacturer.

Steve Timms, managing director of defence information, training and services at BAE’s Military Air & Information unit, describes the first flight event as “a significant point in the programme”.

Riyadh signed a contract for the type in May 2012 as part of a deal also including 55 Pilatus PC-21 turboprop trainers – deliveries of which started in June 2014.

According to a schedule released by BAE when it received the Saudi Arabian order, deliveries of the new Hawk fleet will commence in 2016. Its lead aircraft had been photographed conducting first taxi trials at Warton the previous day.






https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/new-generation-hawk-makes-saudi-arabia-focused-fligh-417061/

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Brigadier general dies in Yemen conflict

EDDAH: A brigadier general has died in hospital of wounds sustained on the border with Yemen, the armed forces said.
Ibrahim Omar Ibrahim Hamzi, deputy commander of the 8th brigade in the Jazan province, was injured “defending the nation and its citizens,” a statement said.
His death follows the killing of two border officers along the frontier on Saturday, as clashes with Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen escalated.
A large number of citizens performed funeral prayers of Hamzi after Asr prayer on Saturday at Al-Qarawi Mosque in Abu Arish Province, Jazan.
On the same day, the two martyrs of a mine explosion in Al-Harth Sector, Jazan, were laid to rest.
In a related development, one of the Saudi border guards, detained by the Houthi militia, escaped from his captors and safely returned home.
The guard, Talal Hazazi, had lost his way in Yemeni territory when he was captured and held for 15 days. Hazazi reached a citizen’s house in the border area. From there, he contacted his command unit, which arrived and transferred him to a hospital.
Meanwhile, an official said the coalition played no role in an attack that reportedly killed 25 civilians in a Yemeni village on Sunday.
The Saudi official told Reuters: “This is totally false news. We deny it.”

http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/812381

Citation :

Photos of Saudi Special Forces in Aden,Yemen By Dylan Vosman - Sep 29, 2015

Photos of Saudi Special Forces in Aden, Yemen (c) Reuters











Read more at: http://defence-blog.com/army/photos-of-saudi-special-forces-in-adenyemen.html

Citation :

Arab coalition seizes Iranian boat with weapons for Yemen
By Dylan Vosman - Sep 30, 2015


rab coalition forces waging a military campaign against Houthi fighters in Yemen seized an Iranian boat loaded with weapons in the Arabian Sea on its way to deliver supplies to the group, the Saudi-led alliance said on Wednesday.
coalition statement said 14 Iranian sailors were detained on the boat, which was carrying 18 anti-armoured Concourse shells, 54 anti-tank shells, shell-battery kits, firing guidance systems, launchers and binoculars’ batteries.





Read more at: http://defence-blog.com/news/arab-coalition-seizes-iranian-boat-with-weapons-for-yemen.html

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Iraq and Saudi Arabia plan to acquire BMP-3 armoured infantry fighting vehicles from Russia.

Iraq plans to acquire 500 and Saudi Arabia 950 BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles from Russia, Albert Bakov, first vice president and co-owner of the Tractor Works Concern, the manufacturer of this armoured vehicle. The BMP-3 is in service with many countries including United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Indonesia, Kuwait and South Korea.

We’ve got an application for 500 BMP-3s from Iraq and for 950 from Saudi Arabia," the interlocutor told the Russian press Agency.

He noted that there are no problems with orders, but a balance must be set between those for export and for the domestic market. "In 2016 we’ll start conveyor manufacturing to fulfill all the orders on time. However, the conveyor start-up calls for a lot of work in the component supply segment," Bakov added.

Previously it became known that before the end of 2017 the Russian Defense Ministry is due to receive over 200 new BMP-3s. In addition, there were reports that those combat machines might be purchased by Myanmar and Morocco planning to acquire small lots of 35 to 40 IFVs.

The BMP-3 is a Soviet tracked amphibious armoured infantry fighting vehicle, successor to the BMP-1 and BMP-2, which entered service with the Soviet army in 1990.

The first export customer was United Arab Emirates, which placed an initial order for 330 vehicles which were delivered between 1992 and 1995.

The main armament of the BMP-3 is a 100mm 2A70 semi-automatic rifled gun / missile launcher, which is stabilised in two axes and can fire either 3UOF HE-FRAG rounds or 3UBK10 anti-tank guided missiles. Effective range for the HE-FRAG round is 4,000m.

Second armament of BMP-3 includes one 30 mm 2A72 coaxial cannon and one 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun. One 7.62 mm PKT machine gun is mounted either side of the hull, firing forwards and these are operated by one of the front three crew members.

http://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2015_global_defense_security_news_uk/iraq_and_saudi_arabia_plan_to_acquire_bmp-3_armoured_infantry_fighting_vehicles_from_russia_13009155.html

Citation :

Air Platforms
First Hawk trainer for Saudi Arabia enters flight trials ahead of delivery
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
04 October 2015



The first of 22 BAE Systems Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is performing flight trials at the company's production facility in the United Kingdom ahead of delivery.

Aircraft ZB101 is performing a series of flight trials at Warton before being delivered to the kingdom in 2016.

The RSAF already operates 24 Hawk Mk 65 aircraft that it began receiving in 1987 and 16 Hawk Mk 65A aircraft from 1997. In 2012 it signed a GBP1.6 billion (USD2.5 billion at the time) contract for 22 of the latest-generation Hawks, plus 55 Pilatus PC-21s and 25 Cirrus SR22 primary training aircraft, as well as simulators, upgraded training facilities, spares, and support. Deliveries of the Cirrus SR22 were completed in the second half of 2013, while the Pilatus PC-21s began to enter the inventory in mid-2014.

The Hawks are being acquired as their 'glass' cokcpits more closely resemble those of the Eurofighter Typhoon and Boeing F-15SA Eagles onto which the student pilots will transition. Once in service, these latest Hawk Mk 165 AJTs will replace the Mk 65 and Mk 65A platforms that preceded them.

http://www.janes.com/article/55014/first-hawk-trainer-for-saudi-arabia-enters-flight-trials-ahead-of-delivery

Citation :

Arab coalition deploys Patriot to Yemen

Jeremy Binnie, London and Sean O'Connor, Indianapolis - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
08 October 2015





The Arab coalition fighting to reinstall Yemen's ousted president has deployed Patriot air-defence systems to defend its forward operating base in Marib province, satellite imagery from Airbus Defence and Space has confirmed.

The imagery from 1 October shows two Patriot fire units, each with an AN/MPQ-53/65 radar and just two launchers, at either end of the airstrip at the Safir refinery in Marib. Six AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, two UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters, and one CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter can be seen on the airstrip.

The deployment of the Patriot systems effectively confirms there is an ongoing ballistic missile threat to the base as Yemen's air force has not resisted the coalition since it launched its intervention in March and most (if not all) of its aircraft have now been destroyed on the ground.

The Ansar Allah group that the coalition is fighting claimed on 4 September that it launched a short-range OTR-21 Tochka ballistic missile at the Safir base. The coalition never confirmed that claim, but reported suffering heavy casualties on that day.

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) official WAM news agency initially reported that 22 Emirati soldiers had been killed in Yemen; Saudi media cited Brigadier General Ahmed al-Asiri, the kingdom's military spokesman, as saying that 10 Saudi soldiers were killed in a missile attack in Marib; and the Bahrain News Agency announced the death of five soldiers that the country had deployed to protect Saudi Arabia's southern border without saying they were killed in the same incident inside Yemen.

The satellite imagery may show signs of the Tochka attack at a Yemeni military garrison located less than 2 km to the southwest of the airstrip where the coalition was erecting new structures to support its operations.

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Saudi Special Forces

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Saudi AH-6i deliveries to begin mid-2016

Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

11 October 2015


   Saudi Arabia is to begin receiving 24 AH-6i helicopters from the end of June 2016. Source: IHS/Gareth Jennings



Saudi Arabia is set to receive the first of 24 Boeing AH-6i Little Bird light attack and reconnaissance helicopters in June 2016, a US Army spokesperson confirmed to IHS Jane's on 9 October.

Production of the helicopter for the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) will commence at Boeing's Mesa facility in Arizona on 1 December, with the first being handed over on 30 June 2016.

The confirmation follows a 'sources sought' notice for the transportation of an unspecified number of helicopters from the United States to the kingdom, as well as for pilot and maintainer training, that was issued by the US Army's Non-Standard Rotary-Wing Aircraft project office (NSRWA PO) earlier this year.

Boeing was awarded the contract to build the light attack and reconnaissance helicopters in September 2014 (although it was actually revealed by Boeing in late 2013). A company official had previously stated that deliveries would begin in December 2016 and run through to the end of the following year at a rate of two helicopters per month, although this now seems not to be the case.

The AH-6i procurement is part of a wider build-up of the SANG's rotary-winged capabilities, which includes the procurement of 12 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters and 24 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk transport helicopters. The SANG's Apaches are expected to begin arriving sometime this year (this may have already started), while images have been posted online claiming to show the first UH-60Ms arriving in Saudi Arabia (the US Army has failed to respond to an IHS Jane's request for confirmation).

Further to the SANG's procurements, the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) began receiving the first of its 36 new Apaches in September 2014, and the Royal Guard is reported to be acquiring 10 AH-64Es also (although it is believed that these may instead be diverted to the RSLF).

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - UH-60M Black Hawk Utility Helicopters

Citation :

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2015 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for UH-60M Black Hawk Utility Helicopters and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $495 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on October 13, 2015.

The Government of Saudi Arabia has requested a possible sale of:

Major Defense Equipment (MDE):

Nine (9) UH-60M Black Hawk Utility Helicopters
Twenty-one (21) T700-GE-701D Engines (eighteen (18) installed and three (3) spares)
Twenty (20) Embedded Global Positioning Systems with Inertial
Navigation System (GPS/INS) (eighteen (18) installed and two (2) spares)
Twelve (12) AN/AAR-57, Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS)
(nine (9) installed and three (3) spares)
Twenty (20) M240H 7.62mm Machine Guns

Also included are the following non-MDE items and support: Aircraft Survivability Equipment; M134 Miniguns; Electro-optical Infrared (EO/IR) system; Dual Mode (normal light/infrared) Controllable Search Lights; Fast Rope Insertion/ Extraction System (FRIES); External Electric Hoists; Internal Auxiliary Fuel Tank Systems (IAFS); Dual Patient Litter System; Ballistic Armor Protection System; aircraft warranty; air worthiness support; spare and repair parts; communications equipment; personnel training and training equipment; site surveys; tool and test equipment; ground support equipment; repair and return; publications and technical documentation; Quality Assurance Team (QAT); U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $495 million.

http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales/kingdom-saudi-arabia-uh-60m-black-hawk-utility-helicopters

Citation :

LM announces Saudi PAC-3 order


Jeremy Binnie, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

15 October 2015

Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the US government to purchase 320 more Patriot PAC-3 surface-to-air missiles, Joe Garland, the vice president of business development for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control told Reuters on 14 October.

Garland said Saudi Arabia would probably order another 280 PAC-3 missiles in 2017 and is looking to accelerate its purchase of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, which will give the kingdom another layer of ballistic missile defence.

Saudi Arabia's plan to acquire PAC-3s for its existing Patriot systems was announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in October 2014, when it notified Congress that the kingdom had requested modification kits for 36 of its launchers and 202 missiles.

Citation :

Saudi Arabia has started negotiations on the acquisition of tactical missile systems "Iskander-E"

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2831626

U.S. approves $11.25 billion warship sale to Saudi Arabia

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The U.S. government has approved the sale of four Lockheed Martin Corp multi-mission warships and associated equipment to Saudi Arabia, a deal valued at $11.25 billion, according to a U.S. government official.

The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign military sales, notified U.S. lawmakers late Monday about the possible sale, said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare since potential deals are carefully vetted before any formal notification takes place.

The approval allows Saudi Arabia and the U.S. government to negotiate a formal contract for the ships, but that process is not expected to be completed before the end of the year, according to a second source who is familiar with the matter.

News of the notification was first reported by Bloomberg.

Reuters reported in September that Saudi Arabia was in advanced discussions with the U.S. government about the purchase of two of the ships and could reach agreement by the end of the year. It was not immediately clear if the Gulf country would buy all four ships approved for sale at once.

The sale is part of a larger modernization of the Royal Saudi Navy's Eastern Fleet, and will replace older U.S.-built ships with new ships based on the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) that Lockheed currently builds for the U.S. Navy together with its major supplier, Italy's Fincantieri.

The Saudi Naval Expansion Program II, or SNEP II, has been under discussion for years, but U.S. sources say Saudi Arabia's concerns about Iran have accelerated the effort.

The sale marks the first major export of a newly built U.S.-manufactured surface naval vessel in years. It will allow the U.S. military to operate more easily together with those of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

"This sale demonstrates the enduring U.S. commitment to building robust diplomatic and security partnerships essential to promoting peace and stability in the Gulf region," said the official.

The sale is expected to include training, radar and sonar systems, and munitions and fire-control systems.

Lockheed and Sikorsky Aircraft, a United Technologies Corp unit, hope to finalize another key part of the modernization effort, a $1.9 billion order of 10 MH-60R helicopters, by the end of the year, said one of the sources. Lockheed expects to complete its takeover of Sikorsky this month.


U.S. lawmakers were notified about the MH-60R deal in May.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/10/20/us-lockheed-saudi-warships-idUKKCN0SE1FD20151020

ablution totale / twadaw bihoum