Germany lifts ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia

The German government approved the sale of IRIS-T missiles to Saudi Arabia after five years of embargo. ?teffen Gebeshtrait, speaker of the Chancellor Olaf Scholz, announced this, confirming the approval. The Federal Security Council of Germany agreed on the sale of 150 IRIS-T missiles.

They are intended for Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets of the Royal Saudi Air Force. In addition, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock stated that the government would no longer discourage British plans to sell additional Eurofighter fighter jets. An agreement on the supply of aircraft was previously impossible without the consent of all the manufacturing countries of the aircraft, which in addition to the UK, includes Germany, Italy, and Spain.

A Royal Saudi Air Force Typhoon fighter jet at RAF Coningsby, UK.

Photo from the open sources

This is the first delivery of weapons to this country in five years after the imposition of sanctions announced by the German government in 2018. The reason for the embargo was the country's participation in the conflict in Yemen and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. German Minister of Economy Robert Habeck explained the lifting of the ban by the country's important role in stabilizing relations between the forces in the region, particularly during the war between Israel and Hamas terrorists.

Royal Saudi Air Force reinforcement

According to Reuters, the batch of air-to-air missiles is intended to replenish stocks that have been exhausted in recent years during operations to intercept drones launched by the Houthis from Yemen.

According to the Sipri trade register, the Royal Saudi Air Force ordered a total of 1,400 missiles of this type in 2009, which were delivered between 2010 and 2014. In addition, the country seeks to increase its fleet of fighter aircraft to expand its aviation capabilities to intercept air attacks and launch air strikes. The country's air force wants to receive 48 additional Typhoon fighter jets in the Trance 4 configuration, thus increasing its fleet of this type to 120 aircraft.

Typhoon fighter jets of the Royal Saudi Air Force.

Photo from the open sources

Saudi Arabia has also long been interested in ordering French Rafale fighter jets, which could be an alternative to the sanctioned Typhoons.