No, not the weather-type, although that would be interesting just to see the reaction of the Global Warming crowd.
These are of the Eurofighter-type Typhoon, generally considered a 
4.5th generation fighter, and the Saudis are purchasing 72 of the for either 6bn (or 4.43bn, depending on the news site,or 6.4 billion or about $8-12bn USD) which is part of a larger 20bn arms deal between the Saudi government and the British defense contractor BAE Systems.
As Kris Alexander wrote here on DT back in February of this year, this is just the expected result of …“Iraq-fueled tension in the Middle East…setting off a defense buying binge.” Lots of money flying around there, but that is nothing new.
The Typhoon itself is a fine looking and performing fighter, ranked up there with other aircraft from the past decade or so, including the French Dassault Rafael, the the various SU-27 derivatives, the F/A-18 E/F and the latest versions of the F-15.
With supercruise, a digital cockpit, direct voice inputs for specific aircraft functions, canards to augment flight capabilities, the ability to carry all the current inventories of weapons (advanced 
short and medium range IR and radar missiles, anti-ship missiles, laser guided bombs, laser designating pod, internal gun, the works) to meet any mission requirement, the jet is one sweet machine. I just wonder about its stealth abilities against enemy radars with that big delta wing and those huge square intakes.
With two EJ200 afterburning engines (or “reheat” as the Brits and folks over there call it), each motor puts out 13,500 lbs of thrust in military and 20,000 lbs of thrust in full blower. Compared to the F/A-18 GE F414s, which pump out 14,000 and 20,000 respectfully, they compare favorably but keep in mind the historical differences between an Air Force land-based jet and a Navy jet and even a less powerful engine will still make the Air Force jet do eye-watering things because of its greater thrust-to-weight ratio.
Max takeoff weight is 51,200 lbs (compare that to the Tomcat’s 72,000 max t/o weight!) and again this personifies a land-based Air Force-type strike-fighter capability — a light aircraft with beasty engines that can haul the mail and doesn’t need the extra strength and weight necessary for carrier operations.
Bottom line with this Saudi deal is a couple of things. It widens an already wide gap with the main threat in the region, that being Iran’s increasingly antiquated and anachronistic menagerie of an Air Force with its Dassault/Sukhoi/Grumman/McDonnell Douglas/Northrop dinosaurs (what an International Flight Museum that would make!) and its home-grown Saeqeh twin-tailed F-5 knockoff. Should any aerial conflict arise that would involve the Iranian air order of battle, this patchwork air force really wouldn’t last long against any regional air capability with the possible exception of Iraq’s C-130s and helicopters.
The other element is to watch the Peyton Place aspect of this as BAE goes under the microscope of the US Justice department for accusations of bribing the Saudi government and Prince Bandar bin Sultan, former ambassador to the United States and now head of Saudi Arabia’s National Security Council during a $86 billion Al-Yamamah arms deal (including Hawk and Tornado jets) negotiated in 1985. This investigation comes after Britain’s “Serious Fraud Office” (what a *great* government agency name!) dropped its investigation of BAE Systems based on national security reasons.
More information on the Typhoon is here at the Eurofighter home page and here at FAS.
Stay tuned!
–Pinch Paisley
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Typhoons come to Saudi ArabiaLeave a Reply |
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Hmmm,maybe Saudi Arabia got tired of waiting for the F-35 JSF to come out.I see the future of manned combat aviation & it is the Eurofighter Typhoon,the French Rafale,the Swedish Gripen,& the still being produced F-16E/F Block 60/F-16I Soufa fighter jets.Oh,I forgot to mention the Japanese F-2 Attack Fighter in that list.How about adding the F-15E/F-15I Strike Eagle to this list?
Well let them buy the older stuff, and let us keep one step ahead, just incase.
I think the Eurofighter supercruise ability is in question — something about needing a clean configuration.
Wouldn’t it be an interesting world, if several of the Arab nations (maybe with some help from the U.S.) joined together & removed Iran’s current government from power. Replacing it with a democracy… It very well might be one of the most stabilizing acts to ever occur in the region.
DT is b0rked; only the comments show up, not the articles themselves…
I don’t see any article, only the caption, same as Guest at September 23, 2007 03:36 AM
I see that the South Koreans have a newer version of the F-15E Strike Eagle,the F-15K. You know,unless we have just started using a cloaking device,I see VERY LITTLE of the new aircraft that we are supposed to have.The F-18 Super Hornet is a big step backwards from the old F-14 Tomcat.We may never see the F-35 JSF deployed in our lifetime.Also,we may have enough F-22s to fill,what,4 squadrons? All of those new F-22s promised to be built are just F-22s not built yet.But then,we’ll never go to war with Russia &/or China because we’re all just kumbiya with each other.How come they(American plane makers) are still building “yesterday’s” jet fighters(F-16s & F-15s),but we are having such a hard,if not impossible time getting “tomorrow’s” jet fighters(F-22s & F-35s) on line,hmmmm?
Hmmm,3 F-22 Squadrons.Well thats one more squadron than our soon to be retired F-117 squadrons.I looked it up on Global Security.org.I also saw the “mythical” F-22J for Japan.I honestly think that the F/A-37 Talon from the movie “Stealth” has a more realistic of being built than a version of the F-22 for Japan or Israel(but then again,why should we build F-22s for Japan or Israel? Its ours,all ours,bwahahaha).
Camp, Iran is currently a Democracy.
Tranche 2 block 5 will have some air-to-ground capabilities. GB is also heavily pushing forward towards integrating such weapons. One of their Eurofighters has already successfully dropped an Enhanced Paveway II, that was a block 5 production aircraft.
You compare prices which are not comparable. Lets wait and see, I think the F-35 will be much more expensive.
The saudi’s are stupid!They have the capital so why not build the own fighter jet. When the british or americans stop supplying them they are f*cked.
Its a good thing that Saudi Arabia are getting these Typhoons, its the best choice & its the best multi role fighter money can buy, what other aircraft can carry two cruise missiles, two LGB’s, two ALARM missiles, two ASRAAM’s and four BVRAAM’s (Meteor), and a 27mm cannon on a single mission? Yes thats six air to air missiles on a bombing mission. Thats a hell of a combination to have in a air force. And so what if its not “Stealthy”? Theres always going to be something to counter it, and why have a “Stealth” fighter like the F-35 that will be able to only carry two air to air missiles, two LGB’s (Internally), and why have “Stealth” if you’re going to add bombs & missiles externally? The F-35, and the F-22 is just something the yanks can brag about, but they don’t brag about fitting “Stealthy Drop Tanks” getting into a situation with makes them having to drop their precious “Stealthy Drop Tanks” onto land or sea where someone can just come along & pick them up, i.e. The enemy! Pointless! And sad if their just going to bully 3rd world countries.
Typhoon, best choice!
oh goof