Kuwait, Qatar to Buy Dozens of Fighter Jets
Kuwait has finalized a $1.2 billion deal with Boeing for the purchase of 28 F/A-18 Super Hornets, while Qatar has decided to buy 12 additional Rafales as part of an existing contractual option with Dassault Aviation
Dan Arkin
| 03/04/2018
F/A-18 Super Hornet (Photo: AP)
The air forces of Kuwait and Qatar will soon receive dozens of new fighter jets from Boeing and Dassault. Egypt also seeks more warplanes, but its deal will Dassault is still pending US authorization.
Boeing and Kuwait on Friday finalized a deal for 28 F/A-18 Super Hornets, with a contract value that could amount to almost $1.2 billion. Under the agreement, Kuwait will purchase 22 single-seat F/A-18E models and six two-seat F/A-18Fs. The contract also includes radar warning receivers and aircraft armament equipment.
According to Defense News, the deal was originally seen as a lifeline for Boeing that would allow the company to keep the Super Hornet in production into the early 2020s. However, in its FY 2019 budget release, the US Navy rolled out an ambitious plan to buy 110 Block III Super Hornets over the next five years. That level of procurement will keep the production line operating until 2025, said Dan Gillian, Boeing’s F/A-18 and E/A-18 program manager.
Last week, Dassault Aviation announced that Qatar has decided to exercise the option for the purchase of 12 additional Rafale fighters and has already paid its first down payment.
In 2015, Qatar signed a contract with Dassault for an initial order for 24 Rafale jets. This order will bring Qatar’s total of Rafales to 36. The 2015 deal was worth €6.3 billion ($7.8 billion) and included missiles, training pilots and some 100 mechanics. Qatar has also ordered 24 Eurofighter Typhoons and six Hawk trainers and is also acquiring the Boeing F-15QA fighter.
Defense News reports that Egypt was also poised to exercise an option for 12 more Rafales, but that order has been held up by problems over the delivery of the Scalp cruise missile due to lack of US clearance for the supply of a key component.
Dassault is gradually increasing output to two Rafales per month, above the long-standing rate of effectively one per month. The higher production rate is the response to sales to Egypt, India, and Qatar.
Kuwait has finalized a $1.2 billion deal with Boeing for the purchase of 28 F/A-18 Super Hornets, while Qatar has decided to buy 12 additional Rafales as part of an existing contractual option with Dassault Aviation
F/A-18 Super Hornet (Photo: AP)
The air forces of Kuwait and Qatar will soon receive dozens of new fighter jets from Boeing and Dassault. Egypt also seeks more warplanes, but its deal will Dassault is still pending US authorization.
Boeing and Kuwait on Friday finalized a deal for 28 F/A-18 Super Hornets, with a contract value that could amount to almost $1.2 billion. Under the agreement, Kuwait will purchase 22 single-seat F/A-18E models and six two-seat F/A-18Fs. The contract also includes radar warning receivers and aircraft armament equipment.
According to Defense News, the deal was originally seen as a lifeline for Boeing that would allow the company to keep the Super Hornet in production into the early 2020s. However, in its FY 2019 budget release, the US Navy rolled out an ambitious plan to buy 110 Block III Super Hornets over the next five years. That level of procurement will keep the production line operating until 2025, said Dan Gillian, Boeing’s F/A-18 and E/A-18 program manager.
Last week, Dassault Aviation announced that Qatar has decided to exercise the option for the purchase of 12 additional Rafale fighters and has already paid its first down payment.
In 2015, Qatar signed a contract with Dassault for an initial order for 24 Rafale jets. This order will bring Qatar’s total of Rafales to 36. The 2015 deal was worth €6.3 billion ($7.8 billion) and included missiles, training pilots and some 100 mechanics. Qatar has also ordered 24 Eurofighter Typhoons and six Hawk trainers and is also acquiring the Boeing F-15QA fighter.
Defense News reports that Egypt was also poised to exercise an option for 12 more Rafales, but that order has been held up by problems over the delivery of the Scalp cruise missile due to lack of US clearance for the supply of a key component.
Dassault is gradually increasing output to two Rafales per month, above the long-standing rate of effectively one per month. The higher production rate is the response to sales to Egypt, India, and Qatar.
