British, Saudis Sign Huge Arms Pact; U.S. Bumped

The government today announced it has signed a huge arms contract with Saudi Arabia, one that official sources said means Britain has supplanted the United States as the No. 1 arms supplier to the oil-rich kingdom.

The Defense Ministry refused to give details of the contract, but said it includes the sale of warplanes and “specialized navy vessels.”

The new deal follows a $7.5-billion contract won by Britain in 1986 to supply Saudi Arabia with 72 Tornado jet fighters and other aircraft.

A Defense Ministry announcement said the agreement, signed Sunday, “will provide for a significant enhancement of the existing defense capabilities” of Saudi Arabia.

It said the deal involved “additional aircraft, a construction program, and specialized navy vessels.”

“This agreement is a major achievement of immense benefit for both countries,” the statement said.

The Washington Post, quoting U.S. congressional and Administration sources, said the total deal could be worth nearly $30 billion.

Press Assn., the domestic news agency, said the contract was the biggest ever signed by Britain.

The agency said the deal was worth “more than seven billion pounds,” or $12 billion, and included the sale of 30 more Tornado aircraft, minesweepers and the construction of two Tornado bases, extra weapons systems, spares and technical support.

The deal is the first big Saudi arms contract announced since news broke this year of a previously secret sale by China to Saudi Arabia of Silkworm missiles.

The deal seemed to have been struck in Bermuda where Deputy Gov. Brian Canty said Prince Sultan ibn Abdulaziz had been recuperating from a knee injury until last Wednesday.

Canty said he could not confirm what the prince discussed with the British and American negotiators who visited him there.