The Prime Minister is understood to have spoken personally to Mr Scholz about the aircraft deal. Photo: pa/Joe Giddens
Rishi Sunak insists Berlin will approve the sale of Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia ahead of Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the UK.
The Prime Minister personally called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to give the green light to defense . a deal worth at least £5 billion.
Typhoon aircraft are designed, manufactured and supported by BAE Systems, which employs 5,000 people on the program in Lancashire.
However, defense sources told The Telegraph that Germany may have «scuttled» a government-to-government agreement struck in March 2018 to sell 48 multi-role aircraft to the Middle Eastern country, which accounts for 12% of BAE's revenue.
Eurofighter Typhoon was developed by a NATO-led consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies in the 1980s. As a result, the export of aircraft requires the consent of all four participating countries.
Germany imposed a ban on arms exports to the Middle Eastern country after Saudi agents killed Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed.
Mr Sunak has been heavily involved in talks on how to salvage the deal. threatened by a split within the German coalition.
The Crown Prince is expected to visit Britain this autumn after he and the Prime Minister pledged to strengthen Anglo-Saudi defense ties.
The Crown Prince will soon visit Britain in a bid to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia. Photo: ADEM ALTAN/AFP
Mr Scholz of the Social Democratic Party is said to be in favor of and sympathetic to approval of the supersonic fighter deal. to Britain's economic arguments.
However, some senior members of the Greens, with whom his party is in a coalition, oppose it because of the human rights record in Saudi Arabia.
According to initial Times reports, Downing Street is considering legal action bypassing Berlin, but such a move could sour relations with a key European ally.
As well as securing jobs at BAE, other major defense companies operating in the UK , will benefit from the agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Rolls-Royce is part of the consortium that produces the EJ200 engines that power the Typhoon, while Italian defense group Leonardo produces the aircraft's advanced radar at its Edinburgh base, as well as avionics systems at its Luton plant.
< p>In 2007, BAE sold 72 Typhoons to the Saudi Air Force. A defense source told The Telegraph: “We tried to sell them more. If any of the countries that developed and produced the aircraft are not willing to sell to Saudi Arabia, it will undermine any deal.”
The source stressed that the government, not the military, should be involved. with Germany regarding a potential sale.
Eurofighter Typhoon
One BAE source told The Telegraph they had reliable information that there appeared to be a «change» in Germany's position last year. «In their opinion, it no longer seems clear, so the prime minister is trying to get a clear answer,» they said.
Some sources suggested to BAE that the deal could be done without Germany. as they referred to the Memorandum of Understanding between the partners, which states that no partner should stop the other from exporting capabilities.
“So this partner (Germany) can apologize, but then we will have to produce parts that Germany usually produces,” they said.
The source emphasized that from an industry point of view It makes sense to work with the Saudis rather than against them.
“From a geopolitical point of view, it is better for them to unite with the West and Western equipment than our opponents. » they added. “This is of great strategic importance. It's not just about the money.”
According to research from Oxford Economics, the Typhoon fighter program supports more than 20,000 jobs in the UK economy. The aircraft are designed, manufactured and supported by BAE Systems, which employs 5,000 people on its program in Lancashire.
Aerospace analysts at Shephard last week warned that high operating costs and growing competition meant Typhoon appeared to have «lost its market niche» and future export opportunities were slim.
In the meantime, efforts have been made to efforts to rebuild bridges with Saudi Arabia following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, given the Gulf country's strategic importance to the West.
Prospects for a resumption of arms exports have also improved thanks to a UN-brokered ceasefire during Yemen's nine-year civil war.
Strengthening cooperation
Mr Sunak had a telephone conversation with the Crown Prince on August 17 during which he invited him to visit the UK for talks «at the earliest opportunity».
Downing Street said after the call that the pair had discussed how they would » strengthen our close defense and security cooperation.»
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“The Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's long-standing commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's security and regional stability,” the No 10 spokesman added.
Mr Sunak has reportedly personally raised the idea of reviving the Eurofighter deal. in a telephone conversation with the German chancellor last month.
Sir Tim Barrow, Britain's national security adviser, held talks with the Berlin Ministry of Defense as British diplomats addressed opponents in the Bundestag.
< p>A government spokesman said: “When considering any potential Eurofighter exports, we are working closely with the governments of Germany, Italy and Spain in accordance with the commitments each country has made to support the exports of the others.”
< p>“In Last year we welcomed Germany's decision to extend export licenses for parts for Saudi Arabia's existing Eurofighter aircraft for three years. The UK remains steadfast in its commitment to our strategic defense relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.»
A German government spokesman said: «In principle, the Federal Government does not comment on matters of internal coordination. «.
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