France and Saudi Arabia signed a $550 million arms sale contract in Jidda on Sunday that will provide the Saudis with sophisticated weapons systems they have been unable to purchase in the United States.
The deal, announced here by the government-controlled company responsible for arms exports, is the first of several being negotiated by the two countries.
According to French sources, future contracts will run into several billion dollars worth of combat aircraft, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and Exocet missiles, which proved deadly in the Persian Gulf and Falkland Islands wars.
Saudi Arabia had hoped to get many of these systems or their American equivalents in the United States, but Congress blocked the Reagan administration from supplying them.
The contract signed Sunday calls for the sale to Saudi Arabia of 20 fast missile boats, 12 Super Puma attack helicopters and a large number of Exocets.
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