International Business

Saudis May Scrap F-5 Replacement: Industry experts say the kingdom--the world’s biggest aircraft arms importer--wants to phase out the warplanes and seek to replace its F-15s, first delivered in the early 1980s. The alternative program could come early in the next century as the McDonnell Douglas Corp. aircraft reach the end of their service life, analysts said. That contract, potentially worth more than $5 billion, could be finalized in 1996, a well-placed Arab source said. Some of Riyadh’s F-5s will be passed on to allied states and others will be sold, analysts said.