US sale of Boeing F-15s to Saudis worth $30 billion

The United States has confirmed the sale of 84 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The deal, which will also include upgrading 70 existing Saudi F-15s, is part of a $60 billion, multi-year arms deal approved by Congress last year.

Economically, the deal, which comes at a time of high unemployment in the US, will “support” 50,000 American jobs, according to White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest, and contribute more than $3.5 billion to the US economy each year.

Politically, the message to Iran, Saudi Arabia’s chief rival in the area, is a warning: the United States and its allies are “committed to stability in the Gulf and broader Middle East.” It comes at a time when Iran has said it might close the Strait of Hormuz to shipping if more sanctions are applied to that country. The US has responded that it will not tolerate any disruption to shipping in the vital oil route.

The acquisition of the fighter jets will enhance Saudi Arabia’s ability to defend itself against threat’s to its sovereignty, according to State Department spokesman Andrew Shapiro.

The arms package also includes Apache attack helicopters, Black Hawk helicopters, and a range of missiles, bombs and delivery systems.

Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney today welcomed the announcement, saying, "For Boeing, this agreement represents the continuation of an enduring partnership between the company and the Kingdom that dates back to 1945 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a DC-3 Dakota airplane to King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Saudi Arabia is one of Boeing's most valued customers, operating a fleet of existing Boeing F-15s, Apache helicopters, AWACS, and special mission aircraft.