Kuwait buys 28 Eurofighter Typhoons

[Jazz]

So presumably these will be Italian (Turin) built aircraft.
Maybe just a possible Bahrain order, for new or refurbished Tiffs, remains from the Middle East for the UK now?

[Dazza37]

So presumably these will be Italian (Turin) built aircraft.

Yes, I expect final assembly will be done by Alenia at Caselle...

-Dazza

[Hammy]

Maybe just a possible Bahrain order, for new or refurbished Tiffs, remains from the Middle East for the UK now?

The Royal Air Force of Oman has yet to begin receiving its Typhoons.

[PONSH]

The Omani AF ones MAY be built in the UK at Warton. BAe Warton has strong links with Oman as the SEPECAT Jaguars & Bae Hawks came from the same stable.

[Dazza37]

The Omani AF Typhoons WILL be built by BAES, to the best of my knowledge, whichever partner nation signs the deal undertakes final assembly, unless this has changed? Each partner nation was assigned a sales region based on existing trade links etc...

-Dazza

[Jazz]

Maybe just a possible Bahrain order, for new or refurbished Tiffs, remains from the Middle East for the UK now?

The Royal Air Force of Oman has yet to begin receiving its Typhoons.

Sure, i meant remaining possible future orders. The Oman order is done (infact back in Dec 2012 for 12 Typhoons and 8 Hawks) and will be UK built. So, maybe just a possible Bahrain order to come (and probably only for a similar number as Oman's) for BAe and Warton, if the Saudi's dont order another batch? The UAE and Qatar are said to be very doubtful, and with no sign of any orders from further East, i'm reading "BAE is currently making 30 Typhoon jets a year, but without new orders the production line at BAE’s plant in Warton, is scheduled to end in 2018." So, no doubt BAe would have wanted the Kuwait order for Warton, but did they actually 'compete' with Alenia Aermacchi... and lose out?

[Davem245]

Typhoons are built in all 4 countries, just assembled in the lead country,

DAVEM

[Jazz]

So the Kuwait order keeps the Warton production line open for how much longer?

[scottoz8]

I assume the Americans wont be happy if their F-18's are to be replaced

[Jazz]

Could still be a split order, with Super Hornets...

[scottoz8]

With a split order ,assuming still 28 Typhoons, that's a lot of aircraft for such a small country !!!

[Jazz]

Sure, thats the reports though. Expansion to two fighter types, as per the other MidEast operators, where Typhoon does/will supplement F-15's or F-16's (would also be the case for Bahrain). Also a case of not having all your eggs in one basket etc? We'll see...
http://www.defensenews.com/story/breaki ... /72059404/

[scottoz8]

I am very sceptical re a split order, as Kuwait has a very small infrastructure. I used to stay there and can remember the time they bought BAe Lightnings, they had barely built up warp speed and they were nearly out of local airspace !!!

[Jazz]

I can understand scepticism, mainly because of the numbers involved. There has been an arms build up though, especially among the Sunni nations, to counter the Iranian/Shia 'threat'. If 28 Typhoons is it for Kuwait, that would be a reduction from around 35 F/A-18C/D's in service (if these are all to be retired).
I don't think the size of the country is an issue, as having two main airbases (plus the IAP), which also hosts allied detachments, would be large enough for two fighter types (of say, 28 of each). Compare that to Bahrain, which probably has similar infrastructure, but is 23x smaller! And even with a total area of just 295 sq/miles, it still has a lot of desert, with just the one fixed-wing airbase. With 21 F-16C/D's and 12 F-5E/F's (possibly to be replaced by 12 Typhoons), that would now make for a larger (two-fighter type) airforce than Kuwait.

[PA200]

Jazz wrote

So the Kuwait order keeps the Warton production line open for how much longer?

The order has no effect on the Warton production line, its only good for Salmesbury who build the forward and rear fuselage.


Jazz wrote:

There has been an arms build up though, especially among the Sunni nations, to counter the Iranian/Shia 'threat'

That's a pretty sweeping generalisation, without getting into religion/politics etc. There are lots of Shia Muslims living in KSA as evidenced by the recent attacks on Shia Mosques. One near you I believe.

[Jazz]

Update on this today, is confirmation that the contract has finally been signed...

"Eurofighter GmbH has just announced that a contract has been signed by the State of Kuwait for the procurement of 28 Eurofighter Typhoons. The front fuselage, vertical tail and other detail manufacturing work for the 28 aircraft will be undertaken in the UK by BAE Systems and final assembly of the aircraft will take place in Italy by Finmeccanica."

Statement from BAE Systems:

"We welcome the signing of the contract today between Italy and Kuwait for the supply of 28 Eurofighter Typhoons. The State of Kuwait will be the third country in the Middle East, and the eighth country overall to operate the aircraft. This confirms Typhoon’s position as the most advanced new generation swing role combat aircraft available today."