Saudi ‘still buying’ arms from Turkey despite $110bn deal with US

The Saudi government has not told Ankara of any plans to cancel an arms agreement by which it will buy Turkish helicopters and warships despite its $110 billion deal with the US, Anadolu Agency has reported. Recent media reports claimed that Riyadh has cancelled the purchase of Turkish-made ATAK helicopters and MILGEM warships.

According to Turkey’s Defence Industries Undersecretary Ismail Demir, however, the Saudi-Turkish deal has not been cancelled. “The relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, plus the latest agreement [weapons deal] had no negative effect on Turkey,” he explained. “There is no negative feedback regarding our project [the sale of MILGEM corvettes]. On the contrary, there is consideration of continuing the project.”

The Turkish official added that Ankara even received a message from Riyadh on Monday about the arms deal, which is worth $2 billion according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news website.

Demir pointed out that his country is in close contact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan over the sale of the Turkish-made helicopters and the MILGEM warships to the Arab Gulf State.