The landmark arms sale intended to modernize and boost Saudi Arabia’s air combat capability reached another milestone this week with the roll out of the first F-15SA fighter jet. The aircraft is one of 84 F-15s in the package meant to upgrade the Kingdom’s air force.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel left Washington for the Middle East yesterday for official travel that will take him first to Israel, then Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. As he meets with officials to discuss bilateral issues and regional challenges, including Syria and Iran, a $10 billion package of arms sale to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Israel, along with aid for Israel, is in its final stages.
The first of 84 new F-15SA fighter jets completed a successful test flight last month in the United States. Those planes are set for delivery starting in 2015 after Congress in 2010 approved an agreement to sell the fighters to Saudi Arabia for $29.4 billion. President Obama signed that agreement in December 2011.
The two-day Arab-US Policymakers Conference, organized by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, covered the breadth of issues including defense and security. This year’s panel on the subject, titled, “Defense Cooperation Dynamics: Enhancing Regional Security,” featured the remarks of US Central Command Deputy Commander Vice Admiral Robert Harward on the view from the region’s US military headquarters; Dr. Anthony Cordesman, CSIS Arleigh Burke Chair in Strategy; Dr. David Des Roches and Professor Robert Sharp, both of the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. Ms. Molly Williamson, a distinguished senior official in the State, Defense, Energy and Commerce Departments served as panel chair.
Iran’s nuclear program remains one of the most serious threats to U.S. interests and Middle East peace, despite the December 2007 National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) conclusion that “Iran abandoned its nuclear weapons program in 2003.” Iran continues to enrich uranium — the most difficult component of a nuclear weapons program — and continues to conduct work that could contribute to nuclear weapons development
The Gulf arms sales package will probably have a total cost of over $20 billion over a ten-year period. It is important to stress, however, that this is an offer and Gulf states may choose to buy from other suppliers. It also involves all of the Southern Gulf states and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
