Eurofighters for Saudis? Only with Eurofavours

RAF Eurofighter(click to view full) The Guardian reports that Britain has been in secret discussions with Saudi Arabia over a major arms deal that includes the Eurofighter Typhoon, and is said to be worth up to GBP 40 billion (USD $71 billion, EUR 59 billion). Talks are said to be stalling, however, after Riyadh asked for three “tricky” favors. Saudi F-15 The newspaper said Britain’s defense minister sought to persuade Prince Sultan, the crown prince, to re-equip his air force with the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Royal Saudi Air Force currently operates three major fighter types: the Boeing F-15C/D/S Eagle, the Tornado F3 air defense variant, and the F/RF-5 Tiger II. The move would lessen the RSAF’s dependence on American F-15s in light of increasingly strained relations with both sides of America’s political spectrum, and probably replace the F-5s entirely. Yet negotiations are said to be stalling because the Saudis are demanding three favors: # That Britain expel Saad al-Faqih and Mohammed al-Masari, two Saudi dissidents. Britain has become something of a hotbed for Islamist activity in Europe; Faqih, who has asylum in Britain, is accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate King Abdullah and has publicly supported terrorist […]