The United States will supply Saudi Arabia with an unspecified number of the latest type fighter-interceptor warplanes and will train Saudian pilots and technicians in their use, the State Department confirmed today but denied that the U.S. was contributing to an arms race in the Middle East. State Department spokesman Robert Anderson would not discuss the number of planes involved or the share of the funding to be expended on training under a $756 million agreement signed in Riayadh, Saudi Arabia last Saturday.
However, there were indications that as many as 250 F-6E aircraft costing $2,75 million each may be sold. Anderson said that deliveries will not be made until next year and that no Phantom jets are involved in this deal. He declared that Saudi Arabia has “a legitimate self-defense need” for the warplanes and that Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger “believes the sales will contribute to stability in the area.”
The State Department confirmed the deal only after Riayadh radio announced this morning that the agreement had been signed by the Saudian Defense Minister, Prince Sultan Ben Abdul. Uziz, in the presence of the U.S. Ambassador, James Aiken. It came only a day after the State Department confirmed that the U.S. approved Iran’s transfer of 24 American F-5 jet interceptors to the Jordanian Air Force and during the visit to Washington of the Sultan of Oman who is believed to be seeking American armaments. Oman controls the straits linking the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
ALSO SUPPLYING OTHER WEAPONS
Meanwhile, Pentagon sources reportedly said that in addition to fighter planes, the U.S. is supplying Saudi Arabia with other weapons systems including tanks, artillery and small warships. Saudi Arabia is to receive $6 billion worth of U.S. equipment over a period of about five years, according to the reports, The weapons supplies were ascribed to the U.S. policy of arming friendly governments in the Middle East to combat Soviet influenced elements that may try to open the way for Soviet penetration of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
In denying that the U.S. was precipitating a Mideast arms race, Anderson said that Saudi Arabia and Iran, which reportedly will be getting $10 billion in U.S. military equipment over a six-year period, are not purchasing arms in a quid pro quo contest but because in their judgement their defense requires it.
Anderson said that Iran has not complained about U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia and that Saudi Arabia would require U.S. approval to transfer American equipment to a third country. He was referring to a possible shift of American planes or other weapons to Egypt. The Saudians have already transferred a number of Mirage Jets they purchased from France to the Egyptian Air Force.
The F-5E, manufactured by the Northrop Corp., is a twin-engine fighter built in the U.S. since the mid-1960s chiefly for export purposes and about 1150 of them are being used by the air forces of 20 nations. The Saudians will receive the latest models. The F-5s transferred to Jordan by Iran are an older model.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
