Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems are being awarded contracts to supply targeting pods and electronic warfare systems to Saudi Arabia in order to upgrade 70 older F-15S model Strike Eagle fighters to the latest SA configuration.
Lockheed's missiles and fire control division received a $410.6 million firm-fixed-price contract to supply 95 Sniper advanced targeting pods, 35 compact multiband data-links, 70 infrared search and track (IRST) systems, 75 IRST pylons, and spare-parts.
At the same time, BAE Systems is being awarded a $366.5 million firm-fixed-price contract to supply 70 digital electronic warfare systems (DEWS)/common missile warning systems (CMWS), three DEWS/CMWS test stations and associated spare parts.
Additionally, the Al Raha Group of Saudi Arabia, is being awarded a $95 million firm-fixed-price and cost-no-fee contract for third party logistics services to support the repair and return of F-15 assets to the Royal Saudi Air Forces.
The upgrade programme for the 70 older jets comes on top of an order for 84 new build F-15SA fighters for a total of $11.4 billion.
The F-15SA is one of the most advanced variants of the Eagle ever built. The aircraft are equipped with a Raytheon APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array radar and twin General Electric F110-129 turbofans, among a host other advanced hardware.
The F-15SA is also the first version of the Eagle with a fly-by-wire flight control system.
Source: Flight International