Germany Blocks Sale Of Typhoon Jets To Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Eurofighter Typhoon – Wikipedia  

EruAsian Times: French Rafales ‘Trounce’ Eurofighters As Germany Blocks Sale Of Typhoon Jets To Saudi Arabia – Reports  

Germany loosened export restrictions against Saudi Arabia earlier this year. Still, it refused to allow the sale of the 4.5th generation Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet to the kingdom, despite the UK government’s intense lobbying. Berlin’s refusal, unfortunately, poses a significant challenge to Britain’s production lines. 

The United Kingdom is likely to see a loss of 6,000 jobs in the defense sector and no manufacturing of fighter jets for a decade in the face of Germany’s unwillingness to green-light the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to the Royal Saudi Air Force, British newspaper The Sun reported.

Berlin is blocking a multibillion-dollar agreement to sell 48 Typhoons to Saudi Arabia, and ministers have threatened to “close” BAE production lines if the contract is refused. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz clarified in July this year that Germany will not deliver Eurofighter combat aircraft to Saudi Arabia soon.  

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WNU Editor: The impact on the UK for losing this sale is going to be huge .... More than 6,000 UK jobs are put at risk as Germany controversially BLOCKS a deal to sell British-made Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia (Daily Mail).

European Demand For U.S. Weaponry Is Soaring, But Not For The Big Ticket Items

A soldier holds a Javelin missile system during a military exercise in the training centre of Ukrainian Ground Forces near Rivne, Ukraine May 26, 2021. Picture taken May 26, 2021. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo  

Reuters: Ukraine war spurs European demand for U.S. arms, but not big-ticket items 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - European demand for U.S. weaponry is soaring, but instead of big-ticket items like jets and tanks, shopping lists are focused on cheaper, less-sophisticated items such as shoulder-fired missiles, artillery, and drones that have proven critical to Ukraine's war efforts. 

Countries close to Russia like Poland, Finland and Germany are striking deals to build U.S. weapons in Europe, negotiating new deals to buy arms and looking to speed up existing contracts, according to interviews with military officials and industry executives, and a Reuters review of recent announcements by governments and defense manufacturers. Demand is centered around basic weapons and munitions: 155-millimeter artillery rounds, air defenses, communications equipment, shoulder-fired Javelin missiles and drones, nearly a dozen European military attachés in Washington told Reuters in a series of recent interviews.  

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WNU Editor: NATO/European members must first be willing to spend the money before buying the big ticket items .... NATO summit defense spending pledges may exceed 2% target, Austin says (Defense News).

Good Times To Be An Arms Maker

DNYUZ/New York Times: Military Spending Surges, Creating New Boom for Arms Makers 

WASHINGTON — The prospect of growing military threats from both China and Russia is driving bipartisan support for a surge in Pentagon spending, setting up another potential boom for weapons makers that is likely to extend beyond the war in Ukraine. 

Congress is on track in the coming week to give final approval to a national military budget for the current fiscal year that is expected to reach approximately $858 billion — or $45 billion above what President Biden had requested. 

If approved at this level, the Pentagon budget will have grown at 4.3 percent per year over the last two years — even after inflation — compared with an average of less than 1 percent a year in real dollars between 2015 and 2021, according to an analysis by Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments for The New York Times.  

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WNU Editor: I have this uneasy feeling that in 2023 and beyond the only ones who will be making real money are those who manufacture arms, those who provide the materials that will be needed to manufacture arms, and those who provided the management, lobbying, and labor requirements to make the entire system work.

UAE, France Sign $18 Billion Deal For 80 Rafale Jets

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, is greeted by Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan at the Dubai Expo on the first day of his Gulf tour on December 3, 2021. (AFP)  

Arab News: UAE, France sign $18 billion deal for 80 Rafale jets as Macron starts Gulf tour 

* Macron arrived in the early hours of Friday for a brief Gulf tour where he will also visit Qatar 

DUBAI: French President Emmanuel Macron met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed on Friday at the start of a two-day Gulf tour that saw France sell the UAE 80 French-made Rafale warplanes for $18.08 billion (€16 billion). 

France’s Defense Minister said the deal was France’s largest-ever weapons contract for export while the Minister for the Armed Forces hailed the deal as "historic."  

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UAE, France Sign $18 Billion Deal For 80 Rafale Jets  

UAE buys record 80 French fighter jets as Macron starts Gulf tour -- France 24 

UAE signs contract with France for 80 Rafale warplanes as Macron visits Gulf -- Euronews/AP  

France signs €17B defense contract with the United Arab Emirates -- Politico  

France says UAE arms deal secures supply chain, jobs -- Reuters  

France, UAE Sign Multi-Billion Dollar Rafale Warplanes Deal -- Sputnik

Nearly 3/4 Of The World's Dictators Receive US Weapons & Military Assistance

Antiwar.com: Nearly 3/4 of the World’s Dictators Receive US Weapons and Military Assistance 

The US supports nearly 75% of the world’s dictators, autocracies, monarchies, military regimes, etc., with weapons, military training and money. Please remember this the next time someone tells you the US should do X or Y because such and such a nation is bad… 

Comparing Freedom House’s list of Not Free nations* to FY 2020 US overseas weapons sales, military training and financial assistance**, we find that of the 57 nations considered undemocratic, 42 receive weapons, training and/or money for their military and security services. This means 74% of the non-democratic nations of the world are supported militarily by the US. Interestingly, the remaining 15 nations are nearly all sanctioned. The world’s countries can be divided into two parts: those who buy/receive weapons from the US and those sanctioned. It seems like it’s a pretty simple arrangement.  

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WNU Editor: Welcome to the real world.

Russia Challenging U.S. Arms Sales To Countries Like Egypt, Turkey and Algeria

Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters of the Sokoly Rossii (Falcons of Russia) aerobatic team fly in formation during a rehearsal for an airshow in Krasnoyarsk, Russia [File: Ilya Naymushin/Reuters]  

Al Jazeera: In arms race for air superiority, Russia challenges US hegemony  

Moscow’s expanding sales bring money and geopolitical influence, with clients such as Egypt, Turkey and Algeria. 

Athens, Greece – Five years since its return to the Middle East with a military base in Syria, Russia is moving into weapons markets left vacant by the United States and boosting sales to traditional clients. 

Moscow’s expanding arms sales bring money and geopolitical influence, as it seeks to challenge US hegemony. 

On February 25, Russia officially announced that Egypt had received five Sukhoi Su-35 advanced multi-role fighter aircraft, the first of an order of 24. 

Egypt ordered the planes despite threats of US sanctions after Washington refused to sell Cairo its fifth-generation F-35 fighter-bomber. 

Turkey, a NATO ally, is in talks with Russia to buy the Su-35 and eventually the state-of-the-art Su-57 fifth generation combat plane, after being shut out of the US’s F-35 program.  

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WNU Editor: I am surprised to learn form the above report that Algeria has the second largest defense budget on the African continent.

Major Arms Sales Flat During 2016-20 For The First Time In More Than A Decade

Reuters: Major arms sales flat in 2016-20 for first time in more than a decade 

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - International deliveries of arms were flat in the period 2016-2020, ending more than a decade of increases, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report on Monday. 

The United States, France and Germany - three of the world’s biggest exporters - increased deliveries, but falls in exports from Russian and China offset the rise, SIPRI said. 

It was the first time since 2001–2005 that the volume of deliveries of major arms between countries - an indicator of demand - did not increase from the previous five year period, SIPRI said. 

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Update: US is world's top weapons supplier, Saudi Arabia top importer (SCMP) 

WNU Editor: I am willing to bet that arms sales are NOT going to be flat for 2021-2025.

According To A New Report Weapons Companies From The US And China Dominated The Global Arms Market In 2019

DW: US, China ruled global arms market in 2019: SIPRI 

Weapons companies from the US and China dominated the global arms market in 2019, according to a new report. 

Meanwhile, the Middle East entered the list of the world's 25 biggest arms manufacturers for the first time. 

The US and China carried the weight of the global arms market in 2019, while the Middle East made its debut among the "top 25" weapons manufacturers, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). 

US-based arms companies took the top five spots in 2019, with Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and General Dynamics recording a total of $166 billion (€137 billion) in annual arms sales, the data released by the Sweden-based think tank on Monday showed. 

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WNU Editor: SIPRI's report is here .... Global arms industry: Sales by the top 25 companies up 8.5 per cent; Big players active in Global South 

 More News On SIPRI's Report That Companies From The US And China Dominated The Global Arms Market In 2019 

Arms sales by China's four biggest companies in the sector rose by 5% in 2019 -SIPRI think tank -- Reuters 

Chinese Arms Industry Ranks Second Behind U.S., Report Says -- WSJ 

China second to US in arms market with three firms in top 10 manufacturers -- SCMP 

US, China dominated arms market in 2019: Report -- AFP 

Global arms sales up 8.5% in 2019 to $361B, SIPRI report shows -- Daily Sabah 

Global arms sales top $360bn as US and China dominate -- The Independent

US Approved $175B In Weapons Sales To Foreign Governments In 2020

An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Stingers of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 113 takes off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Source: US Navy 

CNBC: U.S. sells more than $175 billion in weapons to foreign governments, nearly 3% higher than last year 

 * The U.S. sold $175 billion in weapons to foreign governments in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, Pentagon and State Department officials announced Friday. 

 * Sales of U.S. military equipment to foreign governments in the prior fiscal year totaled $170 billion. 

WASHINGTON — The U.S. sold $175 billion in weapons to foreign governments in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, Pentagon and State Department officials announced Friday. 

The Department of State’s Bureau of Political and Military Affairs said in a statement Friday that this year’s 2.8% increase in sales coincides with the Trump administration’s efforts to “comprehensively reform and modernized the arms transfer process.” 

Sales of U.S. military equipment to foreign governments in the prior fiscal year totaled $170 billion.

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 More News On The US Approving $175B In Weapons Sales To Foreign Governments In 2020 

US approved $175B in weapons sales to other countries in 2020 -- The Hill 

America sold $175 billion in weapons abroad in FY20 -- Defense News 

U.S. Approved More than $175 Billion in Weapons Sales in 2020 -- Air force Magazine 

Officials Describe How Arms Sales Benefit the U.S., Partners -- US Department of Defense 

U.S. Arms Sales Remain Robust Despite Pandemic -- National Defense

Trump Administration Rushes Through Final Arms Sales

A pair of MQ-9 Reapers from the 46th Expeditionary Attack Squadron are parked on the flightline at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, June 9, 2020. Senior Airman Isaiah J. Soliz (U.S. Air Force)  

CNBC: UAE to get its first Reaper drones, clinches F-35 deal as Trump administration pushes through final arms sales  

* If completed, the sale will be the first American transfer of lethal unmanned aerial systems to any Arab ally, and the UAE would become the first Arab country to get the Lockheed Martin fifth-generation stealth jet, the most advanced fighter aircraft on the market. 

* The sale includes up to 18 MQ-9 Reapers and related equipment for $2.97 billion, and up to 50 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets and accompanying equipment for an estimated $10.4 billion. 

 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates is now the closest it’s ever been to getting choice American weapons it has wanted for several years: lethal drones and F-35 joint strike fighter jets. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced via Twitter on Tuesday: “Today, the United States notified Congress of proposed UAE purchases of F-35 fighter aircraft, MQ-9B UAS, and munitions worth $23.37 billion to deter and defend against increased threats from Iran following historic Abraham Accords.” 

An anticipated development ever since the UAE officially established diplomatic ties with Israel for the first time in August, the news is seen as a big deal. The sale, if completed, will be the first American transfer of lethal unmanned aerial systems to any Arab ally, and the UAE would become the first Arab country to get the Lockheed Martin fifth-generation stealth jet, the most advanced fighter aircraft on the market.  

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WNU Editor: As arms deals go, this U.S. sale to the UAE is massive .... Trump administration informs Congress of intent to sell $23B in arms to UAE (CNN).

U.S. And European Arms Exports To The Middle East And North Africa Continue To Grow

Tom Allinson and Lewis Sanders IV, DW: Western arms exports fuel conflict in Middle East, North Africa

The US and its European allies make up nearly three-quarters of all arms transfers to the Middle East and North Africa, a new report found. Experts say arms exports to the region fuel conflict and human rights abuses.

Over the past five years, Western countries' exports made up the bulk of weapons delivered to the Middle East and North Africa, according to a report published this week by the Washington-based Center for International Policy (CIP).

The US leads the way, with a share of nearly 50% of all arms transfers to the region, while France, the UK, Germany and Italy constitute 24%. Russia was the second-largest single arms supplier to the region, trailing behind the US with 17% of the global arms export market to the region.

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Update: What Israel’s Peace Pact With UAE, Bahrain Means For US Arms Sales, Defense Contractors (Palash Ghosh, IBTimes)

WNU Editor: Bottom line. It is always about the money.

Lockheed Martin Is Making It easier To Build And Sell F-16s

Warzone/The Drive: New F-16s Will All Be Sold In A Single Base Model Configuration With A Standardized Price

Lockheed Martin says the new sales concept will save time and money, both in the contracting process and when it comes to actually producing the jets.

Lockheed Martin says that it plans to "commoditize" its F-16 Viper fighter jet line by offering jets in a single standardized configuration, based on the latest Block 70/72 variant, with a standard base price tag. The goal here is to streamline things for both the manufacturer and potential customers, especially foreign buyers, and it follows a massive U.S. Air Force-managed contract for the production of Vipers for export over the next decade.

FlightGlobal was first to report on Lockheed Martin's new plans for its F-16 product line on Sept. 4, 2020. The Air Force had awarded the company an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract, valued at up to $62 billion over 10 years, to build at least 90 Block 70/72 Vipers – 66 for Taiwan and 24 for Morocco – for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers on Aug. 12, 2020.

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WNU Editor: It looks like the F-16 is going to be around for a long time.

How Global Arms Sales Are Negotiated Is Changing

Air Force F-35s fly in formation over Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Photo: Air Force

Jill Aitoro, Defense News: A new future in global arms sales?

The last few years have seen a subtle transition in how the U.S., as the world’s dominant arms exporter, markets to the world.

Consider what we already know.

In Europe, there’s an expectation to filter more to local firms, whether through co-development or direct buys. There’s also demand for greater access into U.S. programs, and for that access to be on a level playing field.

And then there’s South Korea, now calling for foreign contractors to engage with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises. Financial support for its companies is important, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, but so is guidance that helps identify technologies that will make those domestic companies more marketable. Call it a mentorship of sorts.

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WNU Editor:  The U.S. has dominated global arms sales for years. But now everyone wants a piece of the action. My prediction .... expect joint ventures to be the standard when it comes to arms sales.

U.S. Sold Over $55 Billion In Weapons To Allies And Partners Around The Globe In FY19

An airman poses in front of an F-15E Strike Eagle at the Paris Air Show, June 21, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Eric Burks)

Defense News: America sold over $55 billion in weapons in FY19

WASHINGTON — The U.S. sold $55.4 billion worth of weapons to allies and partners around the globe in fiscal year 2019, essentially flat from the previous fiscal year.

Of that total, $48.25 came in payments from partner nations, $3.67 billion from grant assistance programs such as Foreign Military Financing and the Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative, and $3.47 billion for cases funded under Department of Defense Title 10 grant assistance programs, such as train and equip programs or the Afghan Security Forces Fund.

In FY17, the U.S. sold $41.93 billion in foreign military sales (FMS) deals. That number jumped a dramatic 33 percent in FY18, $55.6 billion in deals. While another major jump did not happen this year, Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper, the head of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, expressed confidence that the various efforts to reform the security cooperation agency would continue to pay off in the future.

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Update: U.S. foreign military sales fall slightly to $55.4 billion in 2019 (Reuters)

WNU Editor: Apparently FY19 was a flat year.

Are U.S. Arms Sales To Foreign Countries Making America Less Safe?

A US Army soldier fires a Javelin anti-tank missile during a training exercise in Estonia in 2016. Credit: Minnesota National Guard by Sgt. 1st Class Ben Houtkooper

Defense One: 70 Percent of Americans Say Arms Sales Make US Less Safe

A recent Chicago Council survey shows the Trump administration out of step with public opinion.

Most Americans want the United States to maintain strong alliances overseas, but not through foreign arms sales, a key tactic used by the Obama and Trump administrations..

Those findings from a recent Chicago Council survey arrive as the White House has worked to loosen export restrictions on military drones and circumvented Congress to sell weapons to allies in the Middle East.

“Americans don’t like selling weapons to other countries,” said Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and former U.S. ambassador to NATO under President Obama. They are more supportive to allied countries with one exception, he said. “Bipartisan majorities think that selling arms to Taiwan is a bad idea,” and the poll similarly found low support (38 percent) for using U.S. troops “if China invaded Taiwan.”

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WNU editor: The American people overwhelmingly share the same opinion when it comes to arms sales. 70% say it is making America less safe, but only 9% say it does. But last year the U.S. government authorized more than $180 billion in foreign arms sales, and it is probably going to be even larger this year. So even if 70% are against these sales, it is not going to change anything. There is just too much money in this business, and no one in Washington wants this spigot to be closed.

There Are No Customers For China's Fighter Jets

Reuters

Richard A. Bitzinger, Asia Times: Chinese fighter jets struggle to target buyers

The high-tech wannabees of Asia are going through a bit of a rough patch lately. India has to postpone its Chandrayaan-2 moon mission just an hour before launch, due to a “technical snag.” Japan is imposing controls on the transfer of certain technologies to South Korea, which could impair the latter’s smartphone and semiconductor sectors.

A bit more obscure but just as critical a development is affecting China’s fighter jet business. The Pakistanis have announced that they will start building a more advanced version of its JF-17 combat aircraft, for deployment in 2020.

With these new “Block III” versions, Pakistan will by the middle of the next decade operate up to 200 JF-17 fighters. And each JF-17 it purchases means one less opportunity for China to sell its own fighter jets to its best customer.

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WNU Editor: Selling sophisticated and expensive weapons is never easy .... as the Chinese are quickly learning.

70 Percent Of Americans See Arms Sales As A Threat To National Security

Defese News: How do Americans feel about US arms sales? Not great.

WASHINGTON — Congress is still divided on the decision to continue selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, and it turns out the American public feels a similar way.

According to a new public opinion poll, 70 percent of Americans oppose arms sales to other nations and see the transactions as a threat to national security. However, when it comes to the U.S.-Saudi relationship, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that 50 percent of Americans feel the alliance weakens U.S. national security, while 45 percent say it does more to strengthen national security.

“Saudi Arabia has long been viewed as a valuable security partner for US grand strategy in the Middle East. As such, it has received significant military aid and equipment from the United States,” the think tank said in its findings.

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WNU Editor: The report can be read here .... Americans Consider US Arms Sales a Hazard to US Security (The Chicago Council on Global Affairs).

China Condemns U.S. Arms Deal With Taiwan

Asia Times: US must scrap arms deal with Taiwan: Beijing

China voices strong opposition to $2.2 billion arms deal backed by Pentagon and State Dept

The US State Department has approved a possible $2.2-billion arms deal for Taiwan – angering Beijing which called for Washington to “immediately cancel” the proposal.

The sale of more than 100 Abrams tanks, 250 Stinger missiles and other equipment was announced by the Pentagon on Monday. It said the sale of these weapons – plus armored vehicles, heavy equipment transporters and mounted machine guns – was requested by Taiwan and “would not alter the basic military balance in the region”.

China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province, had an angry reaction to the news, which has come at a sensitive time, just days after Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to restart talks on their protracted trade dispute.

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More News On China Condemning Today's U.S. Arms Deal With Taiwan

Taiwan arms sale slammed -- Global Times
China demands US scrap $2.2bn arms deal with Taiwan -- Nikkei Asian Review
China demands US halt plan to sell £1.8bn of arms to Taiwan -- The Telegraph
China demands US cancel proposed $2.2bn arms sale to Taiwan -- Al Jazeera
Beijing urges US to ‘immediately cancel’ arms sale to Taiwan -- RT

U.S. Approves Massive Arms Sale To Taiwan

Reuters: U.S. State Department approves possible $2.2 billion arms sale to Taiwan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale to Taiwan of M1A2T Abrams tanks, Stinger missiles and related equipment at an estimated value of $2.2 billion, the Pentagon said on Monday, despite Chinese criticism of the deal.

China’s foreign ministry expressed anger about the sale and urged the United States to revoke it. The timing is especially sensitive as the Washington and Beijing are seeking to resolve a bitter trade war.

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WNU Editor: This is all happening with trade talks in the background .... U.S., Chinese negotiators hold 'constructive' phone talks on trade. (Reuters).

More News On The U.S. Approving A Massive Arms Sale To Taiwan

US State Dept. OKs possible $2 billion Abrams tank sale to Taiwan -- Defense News
State Department OKs $2 billion arms sale to Taiwan -- The Hill
US to sell tanks, missiles to Taiwan amid tensions with Beijing -- DW
US approves $2.2bn Taiwan arms sale despite Chinese ire -- BBC
US approves potential sale of $2.2bn in arms to Taiwan, stoking China's anger -- The Guardian
The Trump administration authorized arms sales to Taiwan. China isn’t pleased. -- VOX
Washington Approves $2.2Bln Sale of Tanks, Stinger Missiles to Taiwan -- Sputnik

U.S. Senate Votes To Block Arms Sales To Saudi Arabia

Politico: Senate rebukes Trump with vote to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE

The Senate voted to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, rebuking President Donald Trump’s foreign policy in the aftermath of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Trump, whose administration signaled it would bypass congressional opposition to the sale of arms, is expected to veto the Senate's resolutions.

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WNU Editor: It will be vetoed by President Trump

More News On The U.S. Senate Voting To Block Arms Sales To Saudi Arabia

Senate votes to block Saudi arms sales as Trump vows veto -- AP
Senate rejects Saudi arms sales in rebuke to Trump -- Reuters
US Senate votes to block Saudi arms sales as Trump pledges veto -- France 24
Senate votes to block Trump-backed Saudi arms sales -- CNN
US Senate votes to kill Saudi arms sales, defying Trump veto threat -- Defense News