Saudi Arabia wants even more German MBTs

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by BarjackU977

Out of curiosity, why did you find relevant to go finger pointing, and why at the French in particular?

The 20th Brigade of the Royal Saudi Land Force displays a 155mm GCT self-propelled gun, left, and AMX-10P infantry combat vehicles during Operation Desert Shield.


They bought 90 GCT's, ~300 AMX 30 MBT, 300 Panhard M3 VTT (VTT=APC), 300 Panhard AML, 570 AMX 10P APC's in the past and it wasn't a problem to buy them.
But the biggest weapons supplier is the USA.
So why shouldn't the Germans sell them the Leo's?

Typical german reaction nowadays: "OH my god we sold them weapons and now they use it as weapons."

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I should imagine Britain would have loved them to pick the Challenger.

I do wonder though why the need for 800?

The Saudis still have 460 M60A3 and ~300 AMX 30 MBT's which are a bit overaged right now and they want to buy new ones.
So no problem at all imho.

[BarjackU977]

I said "the French or somebody else"

Well, I wanted to ask because there is quite a difference between "somebody" and "the French or somebody else". The French only are named.

Anyway, you answered why, so, thanks.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

It's a bloody big country!

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Iranian Army: ~1800 MBTs
Syrian Army: ~4,950 MBTs
IDF: 1330 MBTs

Well as already explained...in the main we are comparing apples with oranges (IDF apart).

It still seems a large number...I'd have thought beefing up ground attack aircraft would have covered far larger areas of territory and obviously much quicker.

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Iranian Army: ~1800 MBTs
Syrian Army: ~4,950 MBTs
IDF: 1330 MBTs

I assume you know that neither Syria nor Israel or the Iran have a direct border with Saudi Arabia.
So when it theoretically would came to an conflict with one of the mentioned States the Saudi Army or their assumed enemies would have to track trough Jordania or the Iraq and i highly doubt that one of this countires would allow that.

Otherwise the Saudi Army has as i said before ~780 overaged tanks consisting of M-60 and french AMX 30's which they want to replace.
So what.

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by Kongo Otto

I assume you know that neither Syria nor Israel or the Iran have a direct border with Saudi Arabia.
So when it theoretically would came to an conflict with one of the mentioned States the Saudi Army or their assumed enemies would have to track trough Jordania or the Iraq and i highly doubt that one of this countires would allow that.

Well Iraq and Jordan are in no position to repel an attack by Syria and/or Iran. So Saudi Arabia would have to plan for a defense of those countries or a defense that assumes those countries have been overrun.

As for Israel all middle eastern nations consider it their top threat and plan to fight it. Border or no.

i highly doubt that one of this countires would allow that.

look at the countries

Well Iraq and Jordan are in no position to repel an attack by Syria and/or Iran. So Saudi Arabia would have to plan for a defense of those countries or a defense that assumes those countries have been overrun.

Not forgetting that some idiot handed one of those countries to the Iranian based supreme coucil for islamic revolution

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Well Iraq and Jordan are in no position to repel an attack by Syria and/or Iran. So Saudi Arabia would have to plan for a defense of those countries or a defense that assumes those countries have been overrun.
As for Israel all middle eastern nations consider it their top threat and plan to fight it. Border or no.

I don't know but more and more i think that you don't really know the region. You should visit it, its worth a travel. There are some really pretty jewish synagogues in Teheran our Travel guide back then said there are 25 around the country. Also worth a visit are the Esther, Mordechai und Habakkuk Shrines in Hamedan or the grave of Daniel in Sush.

Arabs talk much when the day is long, but there is a big difference between their words and their doings.
Syria is not able to attack Saudi Arabia, Jordan or the Iraq. The syrian Army is not even able to get rid of some not really well trained and (for now) not even well equipped so called "Freedom Fighters".
Syria is not a thread for Israel, they have to much trouble in their own henhouse and it never was a military thread at all before.
The Syrian Army tried four time against Israel and failed greatly four times.
They lost 870 MBT's alone in the Yom Kippur war 1973 against a smaller IDF at the Golan Heights .
They Syrian Army even failed against the Jordanian Army back in 1970 at the socalled Black September. When there is one absolutely overrated Army in the region, than it is the syrian Army. Period!
Jordan is one of the most stable nations down there and is not a thread at all for Israel.
In its momentary state also the Iraq is not a thread for Israel at all and i highly doubt that they are able to threaten anybody in the near future.

Iran is a major threat for the Israelis (funding terrorism), but even when Iran would start a ground offensive thru the Iraq, which they couldn't even perform in the first Gulf War 1980-1988, the Iraqis would fight them with all they have.
Take a closer look at the Iranian Tank Force, thats more a big museum than a capable Fighting Force not to talk about the problem with spare parts for their mostly overraged western tanks.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/moyen..._equipment.htm

And the Iranian Air Force, well i would estimate that they could fight the Israelis not longer than a day before the Iranians get shot out of the skies.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...-equipment.htm

As evil the Iranians may be, even the Ayatollahs know the word "suicide".
Do you really think that Israel would stand just at the side watching over the fence when such a Conflict would break out.?