Saudi F-15 jet crashes on training mission, pilot missing

A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 jet crashed in the Gulf during a routine training exercise late on Sunday and the pilot has not been found, the defence ministry said on Monday.
Saudi Arabia maintains a powerful air force supplied primarily by equipment made in the United States and Britain.
Last year Washington announced a $29.4 billion deal to sell the new F-15, made by Boeing, to the Saudi air force. Industry sources have said the Saudis will buy 84 of the jets.
The plane that crashed was based at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and piloted by Lieutenant Fahd bin Falih al-Masarir, a defence ministry statement said.
The ministry said the jet went down in Saudi waters and that authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

Panavia Tornado Fighter Jet of Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) @ Anatolian Eagle 2012

 Panavia Tornado Fighter Jet of Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) during the Anatolian Eagle 2012.

Saudi Arabia to Augment its RE-3 Airborne SIGINT Planes with Tactical Special Mission Aircraft

Saudi Arabia has requested to buy eight Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER special mission aircraft, packed with airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR). The cost of the procurement package is estimated at about quarter billion US$, including four 350ER aircraft, with associated ISR systems and communications plus options for four additional planes with the same package. In recent years the Royal Saudi Air Force has been operating two Boeing RE-3 Sigint aircraft (broadly equivalent to the RC-135 Rivet Joint). According to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) that announced the Saudi request last week, The Saudis have already used the RE-3 aircraft in this role, but this fleet is currently undergoing depot maintenance and will not be available until after 2015. In this interim phase, the King Air 350ER-ISR aircraft will carry out part of the the missions performed by the RE-3.

 

The new 350ER special mission planes will augment the Saudi ER-3As SIGINT planes, as they are undergoing maintenance and upgrading

The Royal Saudi-Arabian Air Force (RSAF) plans to utilize these aircraft for various internal security missions, supporting counter-terrorism, smuggling interdiction, as well as coastal protection and search and rescue. By providing real-time surveillance of high priority facilities and infrastructure sites, traffic routes and border areas.
The payload installed on these twin-prop planes will be different from the SIGINt-dedicated ER-3. Its sensor package will comprise a multi-sensor Electro-Optical payload, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and a modern Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) System. This system will be compatible with and will continue to supplement the capabilities of the RSAF RE-3 aircraft. For self protection from surface-to-air threats the aircraft will be equipped with the AN/AAR-60 Infrared Missile Warning and AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures System. Typically these systems are coupled with chaff-flare dispensing systems. In addition to the high-rate data-link, the aircraft will also be equipped with AN/ARC-210 VHF/UHF/Satellite Communication Transceiver Radios with Have Quick II and encryption and AN/APX-114/119 Identification Friend or Foe Transponder.

Saudi Arabia seeks aircraft systems

Data link systems and ISR suites for use on King Air 350ER aircraft are being sought from the United States by Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said sale of the 10 Link-16 capable data link systems and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, along with associated equipment, is worth an estimated $257 million.
"The Royal Saudi Air Force needs additional ISR capability to provide persistent, real-time route surveillance, facility, infrastructure and border security, counter-terrorism and smuggling interdiction, support for naval and coastal operations, internal defense and search and rescue operations." The agency said in its notification to Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sales.

Saudi Snoops: RSAF Turns to King Airs

In recent wars, a lot of high tech gear has been upstaged by a surprising contender. Countries like the USA, Canada, Britain, Egypt, Iraq, and others are flying low-end turboprop business aircraft fitted with an array of sensors and a small crew. They’re cheap to buy, don’t use technology that makes export approval difficult, and are easy to maintain. Operating them is well within the capabilities of any country with an air force. Their sensors also offer more diversity and power than all but the highest-cost UAVs, in exchange for having just 1/2 to 1/3 of a high-end UAV’s mission endurance. No wonder many countries see them as a good complement to, or substitute for, existing UAV offerings.
Saudi Arabia has the money and clout to buy the expensive stuff. A number of years ago, they had 3 of their military’s Boeing 707 derivatives converted into RE-3 TASS planes for light battlefield surveillance, and COMINT/SIGINT roles. Unfortunately, those planes will be in the shop until 2015, and they need a quick substitute that will still be useful when the RE-3s come back. Guess what they picked…

BAE Systems Saudi Arabia concluded a contract for the processing capacity to repair Typhoon aircraft in national facilities

BAE Systems Saudi Arabia is very pleased to announce that it has invested SAR-65M with Advanced Electronics Systems (AEC) and Rockwell Collins Deutschland (RCD) to bring into Saudi Arabia the repair capability for the Cockpit Interface Unit (CIU) Interface Processor Unit (IPU) key avionics boxes on the Typhoon Aircraft, the Royal Saudi Air Force’s (RSAF) and Salam Project Office’s latest and most advanced fast jet aircraft.

This repair capability is expected to be installed and commissioned in the AEC facilities in Riyadh in June 2014 with In Kingdom repairs for the CIU & IPU commencing shortly thereafter. This investment with AEC and RCD will be followed up later this year with a further investment which will bring additional avionics repair capabilities to AEC.

Saudis seeks military aircraft support

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency reports that Saudi Arabia has requested follow-on support and services for its military aircraft.
The deal, if approved by Congress, would include support and services for aircraft, engines and weapons; publications and technical documentation; airlift and aerial refueling; support equipment; and spare and repair parts.
Other components include repair and return; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. government and contractor technical and logistics support services; and related logistics.
The value of the deal, which would be provided under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, is about $850 million.

Typhoon's bid to UAE will include new radar technology

The UAE will get the benefits of a new technology development in the Eurofighter Typhoon if it selects the aircraft for its multi-role combat type, the European partnership said today.

 On behalf of the four core nations in the Eurofighter programme, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, a Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued by NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) to Eurofighter GmbH for the development of an Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (E-Scan).

Eurofighter Chief Executive Officer, Enzo Casolini said: “The timescale is to answer the RFP by October this year and to have an agreement with the nations by the end of the year. The target is to have a contract by the middle of next year and to have an E-Scan entering into service by 2015.”

Work to develop an E-Scan capability for Typhoon has been taking place between the industrial partners of Eurofighter Typhoon for some time. Receiving this RFP is a significant step to having the capability enter into service.

On the opening day of the Farnborough Air Show, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The four partner nations have agreed to take the next step towards exploiting the growth potential of Typhoon

BAE Systems awarded Contract to Enhance Royal Saudi Air Force Training Capability

Following agreement between the Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, under the Saudi British Defence Co-operation Programme, BAE Systems has been awarded a contract for £1.6 billion (equivalent) to support the future aircrew training requirements of the Royal Saudi Air Force.

The contract, aimed at meeting the growing demands of a world class Air Force, covers the provision of equipment and training devices such as aircraft simulators, training aids and aircraft on which to train aircrew.

Included within this requirement is the supply of 55 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft to fulfil the basic training role and 22 BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft, which will be used to fulfil the fast jet training part of the syllabus.

We will also provide an initial support package including the provision of spares, technical publications and post design support.

Commenting on the announcement Guy Griffiths, Group Managing Director International said: “We are honoured that BAE Systems has been awarded this contract to provide the Royal Saudi Air Force with aircraft and training equipment to meet their future aircrew training needs. We have a long history in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and working with Pilatus, we will provide the RSAF with the best training platforms to meet their requirements.

‘Through the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer, the trainee fast jet pilots will have access to the very latest in advanced simulation for radar, weapons and defensive aids training to enable a smooth transition to front line aircraft, including Typhoon.”

Deliveries of the Pilatus PC-21, manufactured in Switzerland, will commence in 2014. The UK built Hawk aircraft will be delivered from 2016.
  Asian Defence News

FARNBOROUGH: BAE close to selling 1,000th Hawk trainer

Farnborough - BAE Systems is within weeks of advancing a landmark deal which will push sales of its Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) through the 1,000 barrier and build on a potentially pivotal recent success with Saudi Arabia.

The newest generation of the familiar product is greeting visitors to the company’s pavilion at the Farnborough air show, with a Hawk T2 from the Royal Air Force’s 4 Sqn having been flown in from its Valley base in Anglesey, north Wales.

"Hawk is in a buoyant position," says Michael Christie, BAE’s director of Hawk aircraft programmes. "We have 990 sold and are going for 1,000 and way beyond."

The company expects to receive a request for proposals within a few weeks to supply 20 AJTs to replace the Hindustan Aeronautics Kiran trainers flown by the Indian air force’s Surya Kiran aerobatic display team, he adds.

Saudi Arabia last month signed a deal to acquire 22 Hawk 165s, which will be identical in configuration to the 28 T2s already delivered to the RAF. Riyadh’s commitment could, BAE hopes, charge a campaign to sell the new-generation aircraft to other existing customers for earlier models of the Hawk.

Turkey To Sell T-129 Helicopters To Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s military asked Turkey to enter a tender to produce attack helicopters for the Saudi air force, Sabah newspaper reported. 

Turkish officials are in negotiations with Saudi counterparts regarding the Turkish-made Atak T-129 helicopters, which made their first test flights last month and are expected to go into mass production in the middle of next year, the Istanbul-based newspaper said. Sabah didn’t say how it got the information. 

The helicopters are produced with parts and input from Turkish companies including Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi & Ticaret AS and are generating interest from Malaysia, Jordan and Pakistan, Sabah said. 

  

South Korea officially invited Turkey to join a tender in April next year for 36 military helicopters, the newspaper said.

Contract Awarded to Enhance Royal Saudi Air Force Training Capability

Following agreement between the Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, under the Saudi British Defence Co-operation Programme, BAE Systems has been awarded a contract for £1.6 billion (equivalent) to support the future aircrew training requirements of the Royal Saudi Air Force.

The contract, aimed at meeting the growing demands of a world class Air Force, covers the provision of equipment and training devices such as aircraft simulators, training aids and aircraft on which to train aircrew.

Included within this requirement is the supply of 55 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft to fulfil the basic training role and 22 BAE Systems Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft, which will be used to fulfil the fast jet training part of the syllabus.

We will also provide an initial support package including the provision of spares, technical publications and post design support.

Commenting on the announcement Guy Griffiths, Group Managing Director International said: “We are honoured that BAE Systems has been awarded this contract to provide the Royal Saudi Air Force with aircraft and training equipment to meet their future aircrew training needs. We have a long history in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and working with Pilatus, we will provide the RSAF with the best training platforms to meet their requirements.

‘Through the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer, the trainee fast jet pilots will have access to the very latest in advanced simulation for radar, weapons and defensive aids training to enable a smooth transition to front line aircraft, including Typhoon.”

Deliveries of the Pilatus PC-21, manufactured in Switzerland, will commence in 2014. The UK built Hawk aircraft will be delivered from 2016.

Saudi Arabian Air force F15 Aircraft Crashes in Northwest Region in Tabuk

A Saudi Arabian F-15 warplane has crashed during a training mission in the northwest of the Kingdom, but its pilot was able to eject safely, the official SPA news agency reported yesterday quoting an official source at the Defense Ministry.The Royal Saudi Air Force jet went down on Saturday in the Tabuk region, the agency said, adding that an investigation had begun to determine the cause of the crash. The jet was the fourth to crash in Tabuk in the last four months. On Dec. 20, an Saudi air force Hawk jet on a training mission crashed after it collided with a bird. Probers said collision with the bird led to a malfunction in one of the jet's engines. The pilot managed to eject safely. On January 14, a Mirage aircraft of the French Air force collided with an F-15 aircraft of the Saudi Royal Air Force during a joint maneuver in Tabuk. Pilots of both planes parachuted safely to the ground, said the report, quoting a statement issued by the Defense Ministry.

Saudi Air Force Euro-Fighter Typhoons Start Air To Ground Operations

$29.4 billion deal : Saudi Arabia signs agreement to order up to 84 new F-15SAs, upgrades for 70 F-15Ss

Final deal cost can go upto $ 60 billion... 

Probable deal details

* 84 new-build and more modern variants of the F-15S combat fighter aircraft.
* The upgrade of 70 existing Saudi F-15S to this new standard.
* 70 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters.
* 72 UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters.
* 36 AH-6i light attack-reconnaissance helicopters.
* 12 light training helicopters.
* Associated armaments, including air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance (including 1,000 “bunker-buster” bombs designed to penetrate hardened and deeply buried facilities).

The delivery of the whole package will unfold over 15 to 20 years and also includes Black Hawk and Apache attack helicopters, US defense sources said.

First deliveries of the aircraft will be made in early 2015, while the modernization of existing planes will start in 2014 and the first payments for the deal are likely in the coming weeks and months.
The head of Boeing’s military business, Dennis Muilenburg, told Reuters the deliveries would take about five years to complete, extending the F-15 production line toward the end of this decade

Boeing sold 84 F-15 fighters to Saudi Arabia

The U.S. company wins a contract on December 29 over 22 billion euros.

This is the Obama administration announced the news. Hunters designed by Boeing will be equipped with advanced electronic technologies. The contract provides for the sale of 84 units, but also the modernization of 70 hunters older.

For over a year since the U.S. had given the green light from Congress to sell these devices. But the process was slowed in response to tensions in the region.

According to the White House this contract will create 50,000 American jobs and strengthen regional cooperation in defense matters with Saudi Arabia.

"It demonstrates the U.S. commitment in favor of Saudi Arabia in terms of strong defense capability, which is a key element of security in the region, said Andrew Shapiro, a senior State Department. At the Clearly, a threat to Saudi Arabia is Iran. "

Washington as Ryad worry Tehran's nuclear program, suspected of seeking to develop atomic weapons under cover of a civilian energy program. "This contract is a strong message sent by Washington," says he.

Tehran has threatened in recent days to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which a third to 40% of global oil traffic in case of new international sanctions against its controversial nuclear program, a move that would expose the Islamic republic to a reaction Military of the United States.

Aircraft and brave Airmen of Royal Saudi Air Force

Dhahran AB in google maps

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=26%C2%B015%2740.40%22N+++50%C2%B008%2708.06%22E&aq=&sll=26.278255,50.135422&sspn=0.008773,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=26.268057,50.126731&spn=0.008774,0.01929&t=h&z=16