In an announcement from the company this week, Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney today welcomed the announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that it has reached an agreement to purchase from the U.S. government 84 new Boeing F-15 fighter aircraft. Additionally, the deal with Saudi Arabia includes an upgrade to 70 F-15s which it already owns.
“For Boeing, this agreement represents the continuation of an enduring partnership between the company and the Kingdom that dates back to 1945 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a DC-3 Dakota airplane to King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said McNerney. “We appreciate the efforts of the Obama Administration and the trust of King Abdullah’s government in finalizing the agreement, which will support tens of thousands of American jobs and help the Kingdom enhance its defense capabilities and diversify its workforce.”
In addition to the F-15s in its aircraft fleet, Saudi Arabia also operates Apache helicopters, AWACS, and special mission aircraft. All of this, according to Boeing, makes them one of the company’s most valued customers.
“Boeing is privileged to support the important U.S./Saudi bi-lateral relationship, and we are pleased Saudi Arabia has chosen the proven, state of the art capabilities of our F-15 and rotorcraft platforms,” said McNerney. “Boeing views Saudi Arabia as a market with great potential and has made it a priority to invest in Saudi Arabia’s aviation industry while working to strengthen local technical and vocational training programs and institutions.”
If the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also accepts the current deals on the table for the purchase of 70 new AH-64 Apache strike helicopters and 36 AH-6i helicopters, plus support and training, the total sale could be worth as much as $24 billion for Boeing in sales.