Gulf states seek U.S. aircraft, upgrades

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Royal Saudi Air Force wants the Pentagon to upgrade its AWACS and aerial tanker aircraft, a deal worth $1.5 billion.

That's only one of a recent flurry of orders, requests and deliveries concerning U.S.-built aircraft and equipment that involve Iraq and three member states of the six-nation, Saudi-dominated Gulf Cooperation Council.

The drive to boost Arab air forces in the Gulf region comes amid increasing political turbulence in Iran, which the Arab states view as a growing threat.

The current activity also underlines these countries' dependence on American military support amid Iran's nuclear ambitions and expansionist policies.

The administration of President George W. Bush announced a massive $20 billion arms package in January 2008 for Saudi Arabia and its GCC partners, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.

The Saudis, the only regional state with airborne warning and control systems aircraft, wants its squadron of five Boeing E-3A Sentry early-warning aircraft upgraded, along with its seven KE3A tanker jets and RE-3 Tactical Airborne Surveillance System aircraft.

According to the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the upgrades involve fitting the 13 aircraft with advanced communications and surveillance/air traffic management systems.

The upgrades cannot proceed until approved by the U.S. Congress. Approval has usually been granted in the past, as Saudi Arabia is a major buyer of U.S. weapons systems, along with Israel.

Iraq, meanwhile, has ordered two additional Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 transport aircraft, along with associated equipment and support services, according to a U.S. Department of Defense announcement Aug. 11. The order is worth $140.3 million.

The new, post-Saddam Hussein Iraqi air force already has three C-130E aircraft acquired in 2005. These are deployed with 23 Squadron at Al Muthanna Air Base at Baghdad's international airport.

The Iraqi Defense Ministry ordered four C-130Js in May at a cost of $293 million. All six Hercules transports are expected to be in service by 2011.

Apart from its growing C-130 inventory, the Iraqi air force's transport fleet also includes a Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER twin-turboprop aircraft operated by 70 Squadron at Basra Air Base. Another eight are currently on option.

Back in the GCC, Qatar took delivery of the first of two Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft on Aug. 11, Boeing has announced.

The aircraft was handed over at a ceremony at Boeing's Long Beach facility in California. The second C-17 is scheduled to be handed over before the end of the year.

Tiny Qatar, which borders regional military heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, was the first Middle Eastern state to order the Globemaster when it signed a contract with Boeing in 2008.

Bahrain, the Arab world's only island state and a financial hub in the Gulf, has asked Washington to provide 25 AIM-120C-7 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles with associated equipment and training programs, according to Jane's Missiles & Rockets, published in London.

Congress was informed of the potential sale worth $74 million on July 28.

Bahrain, the smallest of the GCC states with a population of only 700,000, already has AIM-120C, AIM-7m Sparrow and AIM-9P-3 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The AMRAAMs would give the Royal Bahrain Air Force the ability to intercept intruders at a greater range.

Bahrain has two squadrons of 17 Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcons and four F-16Ds. These are the only aircraft in its inventory that could carry the AMRAAMs.