Member Article

BAE secures £2.5bn Oman fighter deal

BAE Systems have secured a contract to build 12 Typhoon and eight Hawker aircraft for Oman.

The deal is reported to be worth £2.5bn, and will support thousands of jobs in the UK defence sector.

Oman will become the seventh country in the world, and the second in the Middle East to operate the Typhoon.

Guy Griffiths, Group Managing Director for BAE Systems’ International business said: “Receiving this contract is an honour and is excellent news for both BAE Systems and the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium. BAE Systems has a long history of working in Oman and we are delighted this contract will enable us to continue to work together. We believe that Oman has now added the most advanced fighter jet and proven training aircraft, available in the world, to its military portfolio.

“We look forward to working in partnership with Oman’s Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Air Force of Oman, to ensure this is a highly successful programme that maximises the potential of both Hawk and Typhoon.”

David Cameron said: “Boosting exports is vital for economic growth and that’s why I’m doing all I can to promote British business in the fastest growing markets so they can thrive in the global race.

“Every country in the world has a right to self-defence and I’m determined to put Britain’s first class defence industry at the forefront of this market, supporting 300,000 jobs across the country.

“The Typhoon fighter jet performed outstandingly in Libya, and so it’s no surprise that Oman want to add this aircraft to their fleet.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .