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UK aerospace company BAE Systems has won a £2.5-billion aircraft contract from the Sultanate of Oman and is to provide 12 Typhoon fighter jets and eight Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft. Deliveries are expected to start in 2017.
BAE Systems, which is present in India, is to also provide in-service support to the Royal Air Force of Oman’s operational tasks.
Oman becomes the seventh country in the world, and the second in West Asia , to operate the Typhoon, joining the air forces of the UK , Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia. The order of Hawk AJTs follows an order from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in May last year. The order takes the total number of Hawk aircraft sold, or on order, to 998.
The sale would be a boost for the Hawk programme, especially since it comes close to the $2.6-billion sale of Hawks and other training aircraft to Saudi Arabia in May earlier. BAE is also positioning the aircraft to re-equip the US Air Force with trainers.
The two Omani deals are to provide a multi-billion pound fillip to the British company. Apart from Oman and Saudi Arabia, Austria is the only other Typhoon export customer. Closer home, following a request from the Indian Air Force, BAE Systems teamed up with Israeli Elbit for a virtual training system for the Indian Air Force, which is to be retrofitted on the Hawks in service.
BAE Systems had bid for 20 aircraft, in its latest batch, contracted by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), on behalf of the Indian Air Force. Of the second batch of 57 being built under licence by HAL, 17 are to be naval aircraft, for which a facility is being set up at Visakhapatnam, an official said.
amritanair.ghaswalla@thehindu.co.in
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