Saudis seal £20 billion deal to buy 72 Eurofighters from BAE

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BAE Systems has finally sealed the £20 billion deal to sell fighter jets to Saudi Arabia which has been dogged by claims of corruption and bribery.

The 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft worth £4.43 billion will be built by BAE in the North-West, the Ministry of Defence confirmed last night.

With ongoing support and training, the contract will be worth a total of £20 billion.

The trade union Unite welcomed the deal, saying it would safeguard 'the jobs of thousands of highly skilled workers'.

But it will anger critics of the defence giant's involvement with the Saudis.

The Serious Fraud Office dropped its investigation into BAE and its dealings with Saudi officials and members of the kingdom's royal family last year on the orders of Tony Blair.

The decision enraged anti-arms trade campaigners who accused the Government of trying to cover-up a scandal.

The SFO was investigating Britain's biggest arms export deal, known as al-Yamamah, which dates back to the 1980s and is worth around £43 billion.

It probed BAE's dealings with Saudi prince Bandar bin Sultan, whom it is claimed was paid £1 billion over ten years to secure a previous fighter deal.

Bandar has denied the sums involved represented secret commissions.

The inquiry also focused on allegations of a 'slush fund' used by BAE to pay Saudi dignitaries to win contracts. BAE has also denied any wrongdoing.

Confidential papers released earlier this year revealed that the investigation was axed on national security grounds because 'British lives on British streets were at risk', according to the then ambassador to the Gulf state.

It is thought the SFO inquiry threatened to derail the Typhoon negotiations, which are believed to have been taking place for a year.