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Qatar buys 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets in £6bn deal | Qatar buys 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets in £6bn deal |
(35 minutes later) | |
A £6bn deal to sell Eurofighter Typhoons to Qatar will help safeguard thousands of UK jobs. | A £6bn deal to sell Eurofighter Typhoons to Qatar will help safeguard thousands of UK jobs. |
BAE Systems employs about 5,000 people in the UK to build the fighter jets, mainly at Warton in Lancashire. | BAE Systems employs about 5,000 people in the UK to build the fighter jets, mainly at Warton in Lancashire. |
Qatar's purchase of 24 jets includes a support and training package from BAE, with deliveries due to start in 2022. | Qatar's purchase of 24 jets includes a support and training package from BAE, with deliveries due to start in 2022. |
The deal was announced in Doha by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and his Qatari counterpart, Khalid bin Mohammed al Attiyah. | The deal was announced in Doha by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and his Qatari counterpart, Khalid bin Mohammed al Attiyah. |
Mr Williamson said it was a "massive vote of confidence, supporting thousands of British jobs and injecting billions into our economy". | Mr Williamson said it was a "massive vote of confidence, supporting thousands of British jobs and injecting billions into our economy". |
BAE chief executive Charles Woodburn said the contract, worth £5bn to the company, was the start of a long-term relationship with Qatar and its armed forces. | BAE chief executive Charles Woodburn said the contract, worth £5bn to the company, was the start of a long-term relationship with Qatar and its armed forces. |
"This agreement is a strong endorsement of Typhoon's leading capabilities and underlines BAE Systems' long track record of working in successful partnership with our customers," he said. | "This agreement is a strong endorsement of Typhoon's leading capabilities and underlines BAE Systems' long track record of working in successful partnership with our customers," he said. |
The Typhoon entered service with the RAF in 2007 to replace the ageing Tornado fleet. | |
Although the Qatar order secures the production of the Typhoon at BAE into the next decade, it will not stop the 2,000 job cuts announced in October from going ahead. | |
BAE has suffered amid declining military spending among major Nato members, but remains a major customer of the US Department of Defence. | |
The FTSE 100 company is a key contractor on the world's most expensive defence programme, the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project. | |
The UK's deal with Qatar also includes an agreement with MBDA for Brimstone and Meteor missiles and Raytheon's Paveway IV laser-guided bomb. | |
Qatar signed a letter of intent in September to buy the 24 jets from BAE. | Qatar signed a letter of intent in September to buy the 24 jets from BAE. |
It is the ninth country to buy the Typhoon, with other customers including Saudi Arabia. Talks about a second batch of sales to the kingdom are ongoing. | |
In June countries including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. |