The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) this week notified Congress of possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the Saudi Arabian government of F-15SA aircraft, AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters, other helicopters, and related equipment and munitions collectively worth about $60.5 billion.
Nearly half of the total is related to the possible sale of 84 Boeing [BA] F-15SA aircraft, engines, avionics, sensors, and armaments. Also included are upgrades of the existing Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) fleet of 70 F-15S multi-role fighters to the F-15SA configuration, the provision for CONUS-based fighter training operations for a 12 F-15SA contingent, construction, refurbishments, and infrastructure improvements of several support facilities for the F-15SA in-Kingdom and/or CONUS operations, DSCA said in a statement.
According to DSCA, the proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by strengthening the ongoing strategically important relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
“For the past 20 years, the F-15 has been a cornerstone of the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the RSAF. The procurement of the F-15SA, the conversion of the F-15S fleet to a common configuration, and the CONUS training contingent will provide interoperability, sustained professional contacts, and common ground for training and support well into the 21st century,” DSCA added.
The balance of the possible FMS notifications included Saudi Arabia’s request for 60 Apache Block III Longbow helicopters, 72 UH-60M Black Hawks, 36 AH-6i Light Attack Helicopters, 12 MD-530F Light Turbine Helicopters, and related engines, parts, and weapon systems.
Recent increases in military spending and arms procurement by the Gulf states have revived widespread discussion about the possible impacts of military build-ups in the region, according to SIPRI, an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
“Saudi Arabia and the UAE stand out for their high levels of spending and arms imports, yet almost all the Gulf states devote a larger share of their gross domestic product to military spending than the global average,” SIPRI said in a report released this month on military spending and arms procurement in the Gulf states. Saudi Arabia is the biggest military spender in the Gulf, followed by the UAE and Iran.
“The volume of major arms imported by Saudi Arabia has been relatively low in the past decade compared with its imports in the 1990s,” the report said. “However, signed contracts and known procurement plans indicate that Saudi Arabia’s arms imports are set to increase significantly once again,” it added.
According to DSCA, the F-15SA will help deter potential aggressors by increasing Saudi’s tactical air force capability to defend KSA against regional threats.
The CONUS-based contingent would improve interoperability between the U.S. Air Force and the RSAF, DSCA said. “This approach will meet Saudi’s self-defense requirements and continue to foster the long-term military-to-military relationship between the United States and the KSA.”
The proposed sales will not alter the basic military balance in the region, DSCA said in yesterday’s four notifications to Congress. The notices of potential sales are required by law and do not mean the sales have been concluded.