Saudi Arabia showcased its newest F-15SA fighter jet at an airshow in Riyadh on Wednesday, in a demonstration that the Kingdom has begun receiving items purchased six years ago in the most expensive U.S. arms sale to a foreign country, Reuters reports.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman commissioned the F15-SA fighter aircraft during the inauguration of King Faisal Air Academy’s 50th anniversary marking its foundation.
The upgraded F-15s performed in an air show in Riyadh on Wednesday, attended by top Saudi leaders.
“The Kingdom is keen to acquire this kind of modern aircraft, to protect their lands and the holy sites, its national interests, its economic capabilities and development, and the maintenance of security and stability to ensure peace in the region,” Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.
According to Boeing, the fighter jets are an updated model for F-15 fighter jets with “several combat and technological capabilities added to the aircraft to boost its proficiency with higher potential than its predecessors,” the Saudi Gazette reports.
The newest additions to Saudi Arabia’s air force on display in Riyadh.
The Obama administration approved the $60 billion deal in 2010, eclipsing previous multibillion-dollar sales to the Kingdom.
