LONDON, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Britain's Ministry of Defense announced plans to sell 72 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets to Saudi Arabia.
The cooperation program called Project Salam follows plans originally outlined in 2005. Officials say the purchase agreement excluding weapons and maintenance is worth $8.84 billion and is an effort to establish a greater partnership in modernizing the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces, according to the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
As allies, the program follows a long relationship between the two governments and their armed forces sharing national-security efforts and combating terrorism objectives.
Saudi Arabia continues to be an important strategic partnership for the United Kingdom in the Middle East. Officials say the agreement promotes regional stability and provides opportunities for Royal Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force to train alongside each other.
The governments of Saudi Arabia and Britain signed formal agreements for the supply of Tornado IDS, Tornado ADV, Hawk and PC-9 aircraft dating back to 1985 and a memorandum of understanding in 1986. In recent years, the two governments signed an understanding document, intended continue the partnership.
Officials say the negotiations on the details of the sale of the 72 aircrafts along with substantial aircrew and technician training among other technical support marks the start of Project Salam.
