The Arab News, which bills itself as “the Middle East’s Leading English Language Daily,” had an intriguing story last week from reporter P.K. Abdul Ghafour. Filing from Jeddah, Ghafour wrote that Saudi Minister of Defense (and new Crown Prince) Sultan ibn Abdul-Aziz has a plan “to strengthen the Kingdom’s air force and for it to become No. 1 in the Middle East.” Hmmm. Israel is in the Middle East, and has an air force. Ditto with Egypt. Does USAF count? Anyway, it’s true that the RSAF has some pretty good iron—US-made F-15s, US-made E-3 AWACs, US-made air-combat missiles, etc. However, it would be pretty bold for Sultan to say, as he reportedly told RSAF officers in Tabuk, “Our air force fleet will become the strongest in the Middle East.” When, highness? And how? And why
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.