Boeing courts Saudi for F-15EXs amid acquisition of Chinese UCAV

Bulgarian Military carries an extensive article about Saudi Arabia’s welcoming its first-ever unmanned combat aerial vehicle jet platform, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

News has come from China Defence that Saudi Arabia, a long-standing patron of China’s unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs], will soon be welcoming its first-ever unmanned combat aerial vehicle [UCAV] jet platform. The statement was issued by the state organization, CATIC.

Meet the WL-10B, the export variant of the WL-10, a stalwart in the fleet of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. This impressive machine can hit top speeds of 620 km/h, climb to an altitude of 15,000 m, and stay airborne for an impressive 20 hours at a stretch. 

Its capabilities don’t stop at endurance and speed. The WL-10B comes armed with an electro-optical system and can carry up to 900 kg of air-to-ground munitions. Its arsenal includes everything from homing and guided missiles to YJ-9E light anti-ship missiles. Saudi Arabia’s existing UCAV inventory from China includes the Wing Loong I and Wing Loong II, with CATIC’s propeller models making up much of the country’s UCAV squadron.

Turkish drones too

Recently, a significant development surfaced from Saudi Arabia where they confirmed an order for Turkey’s Bayraktar Akinci UCAVs. This also includes a shipment of ammunition from Aselsan and Roketsan.

When juxtaposed with current platforms, both of these platforms demonstrate superior performance across multiple parameters. The WL-10B excels with a significantly high speed and operational ceiling, courtesy of its turbojet propulsion system.

On the other hand, the Akinci outshines with a substantial payload capacity that surpasses 1500 kgs. Plus, it’s compatible with a broad spectrum of ammunition – everything from the MAM Family to HGK-84 2000 lb bombs. Future plans indicate further enhancements with the integration of the Gokdogan and Bozdogan AAMs and the Murad AESA radar.

For a substantial time, Saudi Arabia has been anticipating the arrival of Eurofighter jets. Things took a different turn when Israeli President Isaac Herzog persuaded Germany to lift the arms ban on the Kingdom, paving the way for the French Rafale and the American F-15EX Eagle II to join the competition, with an agenda to pitch for the sale of 54 aircraft.

At the globally recognized “WDS 2024” exhibition, the American manufacturing giant, Boeing, made it known that discussions with Saudi Arabia were underway regarding the sale of F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. 

Saudi Arabia isn’t unfamiliar with US jets, considering their arsenal already houses older versions of F-15 jets. The F-15EX Eagle II represents the latest and most sophisticated model of the well-established F-15 Eagle fighter jet series, which is a product of American ingenuity from Boeing. Additionally, the Eurofighter also finds a place in the Kingdom’s collection.