2nd Eurofighter Tyhoon Customer Confirm

duotiga83 SG

DATE:15/11/07
SOURCE:Flightglobal.com
Alsalam Aircraft confident of securing Typhoon assembly role
By Craig Hoyle

Riyadh-based Alsalam Aircraft expects to strengthen its relationship with the UK's BAE Systems in the near future, with deals pending to extend an upgrade to the Royal Saudi Air Force's Panavia Tornado interdictor strike aircraft, and potentially to also conduct the final assembly of 48 of the service's 72 Eurofighter Typhoons.

"BAE is a very major customer on the Tornado, and now we are looking forward to the Typhoon," says Alsalam chief executive Mohammed Fallatah, adding: "We are talking to BAE about manufacturing capability in Saudi Arabia."

This could include either the final or full assembly of RSAF Typhoons, he says, adding that a decision has yet to taken on where the new completion facility will be built.

Ian Malin, BAE's head of Typhoon exports, confirms that Alsalam is "under consideration" for the key role of completing the Eurofighter, and says the UK is also looking at a range of other programme details before assembly particulars will be finalised.

The Saudi Arabian and UK governments signed an initial £4.4 billion ($9.1 billion) contract for the 72-aircraft deal during October.

If confirmed, the Typhoon assembly and related through-life support work will enable Alsalam to grow from its current total of 2,800 employees, says Fallatah, who also expects the company to receive a contract in the near future to perform the second phase of the RSAF's Tornado Capability Sustainment Programme.

This is believed to incorporate the integration of weapons such as MBDA's Brimstone anti-armour weapon and a version of its Storm Shadow cruise missile, and Raytheon's Enhanced Paveway and Paveway IV precision-guided bombs with the service's Tornado ground-attack fleet, plus new targeting pods and other equipment.

Alsalam also recently received a subcontract from Boeing to perform a Link 16 datalink upgrade to the RSAF's Boeing E-3A airborne warning and control system aircraft, and is working to "enhance the capabilities" of its KE-3A tanker-transports, says Fallatah.

The company, which is 60% owned by the Saudi-based Boeing Industrial Technology Group, will also perform depot-level maintenance on the air force's Lockheed Martin C-130 transports from next March, he adds.

Alsalam Aircraft used the show to announce an expansion to its heavy maintenance business for the commercial aviation sector, having received a new contract to support four Boeing 737-200s operated by Pakistan-based Shaheen Air International.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/11/15/219550/alsalam-aircraft-confident-of-securing-typhoon-assembly.html

duotiga83 SG

DATE:06/12/07
SOURCE:Flightglobal.com
Saudi Arabia's Eurofighter Typhoon deal gets final confirmation
By Craig Hoyle

Saudi Arabias at least £4.4 billion ($9 billion) deal for 72 Eurofighter Typhoons has formally advanced into its production phase, with the four-nation Eurofighter organisation having signed documents on the project with prime contractor BAE Systems.

BAE recently received its own contract from the UK government, which is responsible for the bilateral agreement to sell the Typhoon to Riyadh, including 24 aircraft to be diverted from their intended delivery to the Royal Air Force. The UK service will receive replacement examples later in the programmes Tranche 2 production phase.

The Royal Saudi Air Force will receive its first Typhoon in mid-2009, with its first 24 examples to be completed at BAEs Warton site in Lancashire. An industry source says discussions on training and support packages have yet to conclude between the UK and Saudi Arabia, although initial RSAF Typhoon pilots will undergo conversion training alongside their RAF counterparts.

Final confirmation of Saudi Arabia's Project Salam deal marks the Eurofighter consortiums second export success for the multirole type, with Austria having so far received two of its eventual 15 aircraft. The Eurojet consortium which manuafctures the Typhoon's EJ200 turbofan engines says the Saudi deal is worth up to £1 billion for manufacturing and support activities.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/12/06/220135/saudi-arabias-eurofighter-typhoon-deal-gets-final-confirmation.html

Shotgun SG

Typhoon's supercruise capability sounds very overhyped to me. With its kinda external store configuration, it won't supercruise with a Cat III load. Somebody prove me wrong.

Guess which is still the only true supercruise capable fighter? F-22. As long as the weapons are stored internally, the aircraft can supercruise.

duotiga83 SG

you guess missing out Rafale being able to supercruise too? arent you kinda BS that only internal stored weapons then can supercruise? Rolling Eyes

Shotgun SG

It depends on the drag factor of the weapon. Fair enough, the Raptor stores its weapons internally in order not to compromise its stealth features, but thats also one of the factors contributing to its supercruise ability.

Several jets out there can supercruise when clean. The oldest being the English Electric Lightning. But when you slap weapons and ammo on them, the story is different.

No, I sincerely doubt the Typhoon can supercruise in a Cat III load.

OldBird69 SG

I agree that having one more aircraft platform might be worth the cost and other disadvantages of having too many platforms. I was worried when USAF grounded all F-15's last month due to possible catastrophic airframe failure. Fortunately for us, the grounding has since been narrowed down to just the F-15C, which is different from ours.
Anyone know the actual reason our RSAF rejected the Typhoon? I recall it was because certain requirements were not met and RSAF rejected it soon after it was down to three (Rafale, F-15 and Typhoon).
Rafale still hasn't made any foreign sale - will RSAF take a risk on buying it?
Yep, with oil nearly $100/barrel and threat of nukes from Iran, Saudis have the cash and will to buy top-of-the-line planes. I read in Flight mag that their Tornadoes and Typhoons may be be equipped with MBDAs Storm Shadow cruise missile.
Aside from the Saudis, the UAE has 80 F-16E/F Block 60 and 436 Leclerc MBTs.

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