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Saudis may order more BAE fighters
FYLDE aerospace bosses are remaining tight-lipped over reports of a new £5bn contract with Saudi Arabia.
Rumours are circulating that the oil-rich kingdom wants to order a further 72
Eurofighter Typhoons, which are designed and built at BAE Systems' Warton site.
The Saudis signed a deal for 72 jets in 2006. The first two aircraft were delivered last week.
Industry sources now say the Saudis are interested in taking more but are also in talks with American aerospace giant Boeing about buying more F-15s.
"Saudi Arabia has not finalised its requirements or decided if it will hold a competition or go with one player," a source told the Reuters news agency.
The Typhoon is built by the
Eurofighter consortium comprising BAE, which has 33 per cent of the work, Airbus-owner EADS, which has a 46 per cent share, and Italian defence group Finmeccanica.
Saudi Arabia is BAE's third biggest market after the US and Britain.
The reported interest in placing a follow-on order would be significant for the British Government.
Investigators at the Serious Fraud Office dropped a probe in December 2006 into claims BAE bribed officials from the Middle East nation to win deals.
They did so amid claims the Saudis would stop sharing intelligence with Britain in the "war on terror".
SFO chiefs said the investigation could threaten national security if it pressed ahead.
BAE Systems has maintained throughout that it has not acted improperly.
The company declined to comment over reports of a possible new deal with Saudi Arabia.
The Eurofighter consortium has also declined to comment.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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