Riyadh has received approval from the US State Department for a potentially $3 billion package of in-service support for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s (RSAF’s) Boeing F-15 combat aircraft.
Announced on 3 February, “The proposed sale will enhance Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by providing sustainment and training support for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s F-15 fleet,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) says.
The prospective Foreign Military Sales contract will cover elements such as “spares and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; ground and personnel equipment; classified and unclassified software and software support; personnel training; engineering, technical, and logistics support services”, its overview states.
The RSAF has a total of 232 F-15s in active use, according to fleet data from aviation analytics company Cirium. That total includes 80 C/D-model examples which are aged between 34 and 45 years, and 152 S/SA-standard jets, which range from 30 to five years old.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the DSCA notes.
FlightGlobal will be reporting from the World Defense Show near Riyadh from 8-10 February.
