French officials scrambled Monday to fix a misunderstanding with the Saudis after prematurely announcing a deal to supply Saudi Arabia with refueling aerial tankers. First the French defense ministry announced that the French Defence Minister and the Saudi Crown Prince had signed a strategically important agreement to supply Airbus MRTT tankers in a deal worth ~400 million euros.
Two hours later the French released a second statement, changing course: "Discussions between France and Saudi Arabia relating to the contract for MRTT are continuing." The French U-turn seems driven by fears of breaching Saudi sensitivities over the timing of an announcement. Recall the Saudis reaction to British concerns with graft on the Typhoon order. Probably the Saudis are also concerned how Washington will see this order.
MRTT is the Multi-Role Tanker Transport, based on the A330, and known in the US as the KC-30 for the USAF tanker competition. EADS says the deal related to two tankers and declined to comment further. Airbus has yet to fly a fully equipped MRTT but said last month that its boom system had been flown and tested on a A310. Canada has two A310-based MRTTs and Germany three.
Another A330-based MRTT customer is the Royal Australian Air Force which ordered five. Britain is also negotiating with EADS to use A330 MRTTs for refueling Royal Air Force planes under a 27-year outsourcing contract.
The Saudis enjoy playing vendors off against each other. But Saudi Arabia will find Washington a much cooler place (with Democrats in charge) to visit when this tanker deal is finally announced. After selecting the Typhoon and now the MRTT, people in Congress and the Pentagon will feel slighted – these orders appear ungrateful to the US which has defended the, if not corrupt, then suspect Saudis. Large amounts of terror money is invariably traced back to Saudis. Perhaps these orders going to Europe reflect a growing belief in Saudi Arabia that Europe's increasingly Muslim population naturally makes for better allies.
