Saudi Minister Visits Spain, Reportedly For Major Tank Deal

[TangoIII]

Saudi Army may purchase of 200 to 270 Leopard 2E tanks from Spain.

Saudi Minister Visits Spain, Reportedly For Major Tank Deal

MADRID - Saudi Arabia's deputy defense minister will visit Spain next week, officials said Oct. 29, and he is reportedly considering the purchase of Leopard 2E tanks for up to three billion euros.

Prince Khaled bin Sultan, Saudi deputy minister of defense and aviation, will meet King Juan Carlos on Nov. 1, according to the Royal Palace's diary.

He will also see Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Nov. 2, said a government spokesman, without giving details of their agenda.

Spain's leading El Pais daily this week said the Saudi minister may conclude the purchase of 200 to 270 Leopard 2E tanks for up to three billion euros (4.1 billion dollars), which would be a record deal for the country's defense export industry.

Spanish officials have not confirmed the report.

"There is still no contract. There is the possibility of an acquisition of combat tanks," said Raul Alvarez, spokesman for the defense sector of the major union Comisiones Obreras.

Alvarez said the contract could involve about 200 tanks.

Spain signed a military cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia in June 2008, seeking to strengthen relations particularly in training and scientific and technical cooperation.

Up to now cooperation has been focused on training Saudi pilots on the Eurofighter at southern Spanish air base of Moron.

Khaled is the de facto head of the defense ministry in the absence of his father, Saudi Crown Prince and Defence Minister Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, whose health has sparked concerns in recent years.

On Wednesday, Khaled said his father was in good health and taking his annual vacation.

Prince Sultan, minister of defense and aviation since 1962 and crown prince since 2005, left the country in November 2008 to undergo surgery in the United States and then to convalesce in Morocco, returning in December 2009.

Source:-
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i= ... =MID&s=LAN

[Khalid]

Spain must be lucky, they will sell their old tanks for billions!

Why they just don't buy the hot new Leopard 2A7 + instead of this Spanish junk?

Okay let them buy this scrap so Spain can buy newer things

[hayder]

I wouldn't call the Leopard 2E "junk"at the moment its the best tank in service anywhere in the world. L55 gun, the heaviest armour package (heavier than A6).

Saudis are buying this against Iraq (its certainly far superior to Iraq's M1A1AIM tanks)

[Khalid]

I wouldn't call the Leopard 2E "junk"at the moment its the best tank in service anywhere in the world. L55 gun, the heaviest armour package (heavier than A6).

Saudis are buying this against Iraq (its certainly far superior to Iraq's M1A1AIM tanks)

Okay I changed my mind, they are not scrap, but why the hell they bought the Spanish version instead of the new German version?!

If it is about price, I think the theory of quantity vs. quality is still living well in Middle East

[hayder]

i think because germany still has restrictions on exports to some unsavoury countries. These will be new built tanks made in Spain, but with mostly german parts.

[Khalid]

I thought that they stopped producing it before 2 years due to manufacturing costs