Editing Eurofighter Typhoon (section)

===Royal Saudi Air Force===
[[File:Saudi Arabia - Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon.jpg|thumb|RSAF Typhoon ''1007'' on a delivery flight passing through [[Malta International Airport]], December 2009]]

In August 2006, Saudi Arabia confirmed it had agreed to purchase 72 Typhoons for the [[Royal Saudi Air Force]] (RSAF).<ref name="SAUDI1" /> In December 2006, it was reported in ''The Guardian'' that Saudi Arabia had threatened to buy Rafales because of a UK [[Serious Fraud Office (United Kingdom)|Serious Fraud Office]] (SFO) investigation into the [[Al-Yamamah arms deal|Al Yamamah defence deals]] which commenced in the 1980s.<ref name="SAUDI2" />

On 14 December 2006, Britain's attorney general, [[Peter Goldsmith|Lord Goldsmith]], ordered that the SFO discontinue its investigation into BAE Systems' alleged bribery of senior Saudi officials in the Al-Yamamah contracts, citing "the need to safeguard national and international security".<ref name="aly" /> ''The Times'' raised the possibility that RAF production aircraft would be diverted as early Saudi Arabian aircraft, with the RAF forced to wait for its full complement of aircraft.<ref name="TimesSaudi" /> This arrangement would mirror the diversion of RAF Tornados to the RSAF. ''The Times'' also reported that such an arrangement would make the UK purchase of its Tranche{{nbsp}}3 commitments more likely.<ref name="TimesSaudi" /> On 17 September 2007, Saudi Arabia confirmed it had signed a £4.43&nbsp;billion contract for 72 aircraft.<ref name="saucontract" /> 24 aircraft would be at the Tranche{{nbsp}}2 build standard, previously destined for the UK RAF, the first being delivered in 2008. The remaining 48 aircraft were to be assembled in Saudi Arabia and delivered from 2011, however following contract renegotiations in 2011, it was agreed that all 72 aircraft would be assembled by BAE Systems in the UK, with the last 24 aircraft being built to Tranche{{nbsp}}3 capability.<ref name="SAUDI3" />

On 29 September 2008, the [[United States Department of State]] approved the Typhoon sale, required because of a certain technology governed by the [[International Traffic in Arms Regulations]] (ITAR) process which was incorporated into the MIDS of the Eurofighter.<ref name="ITAR" />

On 22 October 2008, the first RSAF Typhoon made its maiden flight at Warton.<ref name="SAUDI4" /> Since 2010, BAE has been training Saudi Arabian personnel at Warton.<ref name="SAUDI5" />

By 2011, 24 Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoons had been delivered to Saudi Arabia, consisting of 18 single-seat and six two-seat aircraft. After that, BAE and Riyadh entered into discussions over configurations and price of the rest of the 72-plane order. On 19 February 2014, BAE announced that the Saudis had agreed to a price increase.<ref name="SAUDI6" /> BAE announced that the last of the original 72 Typhoons had been delivered to Saudi Arabia in June 2017.<ref name="Saudi0617" />

RSAF Typhoons are playing a central role in the Saudi-led [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|bombing campaign in Yemen]].<ref name="YEMEN" /> In February 2015, Saudi Typhoons attacked ISIS targets over Syria using Paveway IV bombs for the first time.<ref name="SAUDISYR" />

On 9 March 2018, a memorandum of intent for the additional 48 Typhoons was signed during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the United Kingdom,<ref name="SAUDI7" /> however the deal has not been completed due to German arms sanctions implemented in November 2018 in response to the [[assassination of Jamal Khashoggi]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220224-saudi-arabia-slams-germanys-arms-embargo/ |title=Saudi Arabia slams Germany's arms embargo |date=24 February 2022}}</ref>