Washington: A $30 billion (Dh110 billion) 10-year arms deal by the US to sell advanced F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia looks set to go ahead, but following concerns by Israel the jets will not be equipped with long-range weapons systems and other arms, diplomats and officials were quoted as saying in the Wall Street Journal.
The US newspaper reports that the deal, which would be one of the biggest single agreements of its kind, has been a source of behind-the-scenes tension during months of negotiations.
The concept of large-scale arms sales for Arab allies was spearheaded by the George W. Bush administration as a bulwark against Iranian expansionism, and the Obama administration has expanded the effort.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, the US has moved to sell arms to other Gulf states as well as supporting, on a smaller scale, the Lebanese army and Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.
Israeli officials have repeatedly conveyed their concerns in private that the US risks undermining its military advantage by equipping regional rivals with top-flight technologies.
The scope and size of the Saudi deal has unnerved Israel and its allies in Congress at a time when US-Israeli relations are particularly unsteady.
Under the proposed sale, the 84 Boeing Co F-15s for Saudi Arabia will have onboard targeting systems, similar to those offered to other foreign governments, officials say. They aren't as technologically advanced as F-15s flown by the US military.
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell declined to comment on the details of the negotiations, but said: "We have been working very closely with the Israeli government at the highest levels to address their concerns on this and other issues."
He added: "Israel is not the only one with security concerns in the region and we have responsibilities to other allies as well."
Two officials close to the negotiations told the newspaper that Israel still had some reservations, but that the country isn't expected to challenge the sale in Congress, which can hold up the deal or push for assurances of its own.
The administration is expected to formally notify Congress of its plans as early as next month. Congress has the power to block any weapons sales deemed detrimental to Israel's military advantage.
The Saudi deal, said the daily, is also expected to include dozens of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, made by United Technologies Corp's Sikorsky Aircraft unit.
Washington coupled its message about the Saudi configuration with a prod for Israel to commit to buying the planned F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, which Lockheed Martin Corp says it could start delivering as early as 2015, around the same time the Saudis would begin to get new F-15s. The Joint Strike Fighter is a far more sophisticated plane than the F-15.
