Alwaght- The Saudi regime and other Western-backed Arab states are buying more offensive military weapons amid concerns of war preparations.
A report released on Friday by IHS Jane’s notes that, purchases of items intended to boost the attacking capabilities of warplanes, such as precision air-to-ground missiles, advanced guidance systems and air-to-air refueling gear that extends the duration of flights, are leading an increase in defense outlay, with budgets set to swell by up to 3 percent annually from 2018.
“Traditionally, military capabilities in the region have been focused on territorial defense,” IHS analyst Reed Foster said in the report. Now Mideast (West Asia) states are acquiring equipment that will allow them to build “the kind of capabilities required to conduct operations beyond their borders.”
Saudi Arabia’s fleet of Panavia Tornado ground-attack aircraft and the 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jet fighters ordered from BAE Systems Plc are among likely beneficiaries of upgrades intended to project power over a distance. The Saudi regime had the fourth-biggest defense budget last year behind the U.S., China and India.
Additionally the Saudi regime currently lead the world in arms expenditures on a per capita basis. Specifically, Saudis spends nearly four times more than what the US or Russia spend per capita.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will “start to spend heavily” over the next two years, IHS projects.
According to HIS, spending across West Asia and North Africa is rebounding with the combined budgets for the area are likely to reach $180 billion a year by that time, with the emphasis on more-offensive systems also extending to the naval arena.
Western countries especially the US and Britain have been stirring Iranophobia in Persian Gulf countries to create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity aimed at finding new markets for their weapons.
Saudi Arabia has been engaged in a deadly military campaign against Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the former Yemeni government. Saudis have failed to achieve their stated objectives despite superior military hardware and are now stuck in the Yemeni quagmire.
