French threat to BAE’s £40bn Euro fighter deal

Published: Oct 02, 2005
Source: www.thebusinessonline.com



FRANCE is seeking to usurp Britain as favourite to win air defence contracts with Saudi Arabia worth up to £40bn (€59bn, $72bn) to British defence contractor, BAE Systems. President Jacques Chirac has had face to face meetings with King Abdullah and was the first foreign dignitary to visit the desert kingdom after the funeral of King Fahd in August, The Business has learned.

Saudi Arabia is looking to upgrade some of its ageing 96 Tornados, supplied by BAE Systems, but also to buy new fighter jets in a bid to bolster its air power. The UK is offering the Eurofighter Typhoon; the French are pushing Dassault’s Rafales. “The French have been lobbying hard,” one senior source told The Business. Another said: “Both France and the UK are in the running. It is a sign of changing times.”continue..