Monday, December 24, 2012

Those Gulf dictatorships

"BAE Systems Plc (BA/)’s 2.5 billion-pound ($4 billion) order to supply fighter planes to Oman will assure British military-jet production past 2020.
Oman agreed to buy 12 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters and eight Hawk 128 advanced jet trainers. Work on the contract will begin in 2014 with deliveries starting in 2017, London-based BAE said. The deal also boosts Hawk sales to 998 aircraft.
The country is the second purchaser of Typhoons in the vital Middle East export market, following an order from Saudi Arabia in 2007. BAE, working to sustain its fighter production line past 2020 while countering defense spending drops in the U.K. and the U.S., is trying to interest the United Arab Emirates in the twin-engine combat jet as the Persian Gulf federation considers buying as many as 60 aircraft." (thanks Nabeel)