A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter plane was seen at an air base in Saudi Arabia, an indication that the stealth planes have been deployed there.
A brief video by U.S. Air Forces Command Central, released on Tuesday, shows an F-22 making a low pass over Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base.
The video was accompanied by the comment that "the ability of fighter jets to operate at a variety of locations like PSAB demonstrates U.S. Air Forces Central Command and U.S. Central Command's commitment to providing a credible, capable and dynamic defense posture in the Middle East region."
U.S. military plans to send an F-22 squadron to Saudi Arabia were reported in July, and on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with F-22 air crews at the Saudi airbase from the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., who deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, during the summer.
Esper's visit was part of a Middle East tour that included stops in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. Several weeks ago the Defense Department announced announced it would deploy two fighter squadrons, one air expeditionary wing, two Patriot batteries, and one Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System to Saudi Arabia, a possible indication of preparations related to rising tensions with Iran.
Collins nabs $9.9M for DB-110 reconnaissance pod spare parts for Saudi Arabia
Washington DC (UPI) Oct 24, 2019 –
Collins Aerospace was awarded a $9.9 million contract modification to provide spare parts of DB-110 airborne reconnaissance pods to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon announced.
The Defense Department in a statement referred to the "purchase of a necessary additional quantity" of parts by the Royal Saudi Air Force for its Reconnaissance Systems Program through U.S. Foreign Military Sales.
The DB-110 pod is a dual-band airborne reconnaissance sensor, integrated to ground communications of fighter planes to produce and relay photographs. It combines visible and infrared imaging capabilities on long-range, medium-range and low-altitude direct overflight situations, enhancing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions.
The device can collect more than 10,000 square miles of high-resolution imagery per hour and serves as the cornerstone of many air forces' tactical and strategic ISR capabilities, according to Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
The system is in use by 14 nations on F-16, F-15, P-3, MQ-9, Tornado and business jets, and its sale to foreign customers has been encouraged by the U.S. Air Force to standardize ISR capabilities.
Work on the contract, announced on Tuesday, will be performed at the company's facilities in Westford, Mass., and Worcestershire, Britain, with a completion date of Dec. 21, 2021.
