Qatar Increases BAE Systems Order for Hawk Trainer Planes
January 17 2018 - 6:57AM
Dow Jones News
By Robert Wall
LONDON--The government of Qatar has boosted its plans to buy
Hawk training planes from BAE Systems, the country's defense
minister Khalid Bin Mohammad Al-Attiyah said Wednesday.
Qatar is now looking to buy nine Hawk trainer planes, rather
than only six previously discussed, Mr. Al-Attiyah said at the
Royal United Services Institute in London.
The deal is a boon for BAE Systems, which last year announced
plans to cut jobs in its military plane building unit due to a
dearth of orders.
Qatar and BAE Systems in December already finalized a deal for
delivery of 24 Typhoon combat jets starting in late 2022. The deal
is valued at around GBP5 billion ($6.9 billion). At the time the
two were still in talks about the Hawk trainer planes.
Qatar has been on an equipment buying spree. Last year, it
announced a massive $12 billion order for 72 Boeing Co. F-15 combat
jets. In November, Doha also committed to taking 12 more Rafale
combat jets from France's Dassault Aviation SA, having previously
bought 24 of the planes.
Qatar's weapons deals come amid a diplomatic crisis that began
in June between the Persian Gulf state and many of its neighbors,
including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab
Emirates. Those countries have been critical of Qatari ties to
Iran, accused the country of supporting terrorism, and cut trade
ties. Qatar has denied the charge and criticized its neighbors for
their efforts to isolate the country.
Mr. Al-Attiyah said Qatar was ready to engage in talks to
resolve the issue. He didn't signal any momentum, though, that any
promising talks were underway.
The U.S., which has a large military installation in Qatar and
cooperates closely with other Persian Gulf state armed forces, has
unsuccessfully tried to help heal the political rift.
Mr. Al-Attiyah said the country was investing heavily in new
military equipment, including also from Turkey and China, to lower
its reliance for national security on other countries. "It is not
wise to be heavily dependent on our allies to come fight for us,"
he said during his London visit.
Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 17, 2018 06:42 ET (11:42 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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