Silent Eagles to Saudi Arabia

[Navy1960]

The State Department announced Thursday that it had finalized a $29 billion sale of Boeing-made F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

“The United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a government-to-government agreement under the Foreign Military Sales program to provide advanced F-15SA combat aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force,” White House spokesman Joshua Earnest said in a statement.
U.S., Saudi Arabia finalize F-15 fighter deal - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

I am glad to see that the DOD and congress as well as the White House have approved this sale as it means the F-15 production line will stay open. What really comes to mind here is the F35 Joint Strike Fighter which is now approaching a unit cost of the F22 and with all it's problems , then along comes the Silent Eagle which is now half the cost and with better performance and we export it to Saudi Arabia and continue spending taxpayer money on the F-35. Something tells me that these F15's will see service long before the Navy replaces it's F/A-18's with F35's.

 

[Dr.Drock]

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, leader of a gov't that stones women for being raped and the homeland of most terrorists, sad that our gov't views him as such a dear friend and conducts business like this.

 

[High_Gravity]

I disagree with this sale 100%, but at the same time we are so deep in bed with the Saudis with oil deals, Military training etc etc I don't know how we could refuse to sell them these jets.

 

[rightwinger]

Works for me.

US jobs and let the Saudis defend themselves

 

[bripat9643]

The State Department announced Thursday that it had finalized a $29 billion sale of Boeing-made F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

“The United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have signed a government-to-government agreement under the Foreign Military Sales program to provide advanced F-15SA combat aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force,” White House spokesman Joshua Earnest said in a statement.
U.S., Saudi Arabia finalize F-15 fighter deal - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

I am glad to see that the DOD and congress as well as the White House have approved this sale as it means the F-15 production line will stay open. What really comes to mind here is the F35 Joint Strike Fighter which is now approaching a unit cost of the F22 and with all it's problems , then along comes the Silent Eagle which is now half the cost and with better performance and we export it to Saudi Arabia and continue spending taxpayer money on the F-35. Something tells me that these F15's will see service long before the Navy replaces it's F/A-18's with F35's.

The F15 is not stealthy. It would not stand a chance against any aircraft that is stealthy. That means it will not be effective in the next couple of decades. The military has to develop weapons for the kind of technology we are likely to face in the future, not the technology we confronted in the past or in the present.

However, I do agree that they unit cost of the F35 is making it a ridiculous use of scare dollars. Why not just buy more F22s instead of some less capable but "cheaper" alternative?