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Defense & Security News - Australia
 
Australia has approved four military export sales in the past year to Saudi Arabia.
According the Sidney Morninh Herald newspaper website, Australia has approved four military export sales to Saudi Arabia in the past year and Australian Government has agreed to make further contracts with this country.
     
According the Sidney Morninh Herald newspaper website, Australia has approved four military export sales to Saudi Arabia in the past year and Australian Government has agreed to make further contracts with thsi country.
Saudi soldiers are involved in the fight against terrorist groups in Yemen.
     
There is no information about the types of military equipment delivered to Saudi Arabia, and Australian government has not released details about these military sales due to the confidential commercial rules from the customer.

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia led Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition,an intergovernmental counter-terrorist alliance of countries with a large Muslim population, united around military intervention against ISIL and other counter-terrorist activities. According to the Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya, Saudi Arabia contributed 100 warplanes and 150,000 soldiers to the military operation.

In August 2016, the US State Department has approved the potential sale of more than 130 M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, 20 armoured recovery vehicles and other equipment, worth about $1.15bn, to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon has said.The approval for land force equipment coincides with Saudi Arabia leading a military coalition in support of Yemeni forces loyal to the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who are trying to oust Iran-allied Houthi forces from the capital, Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia is the tenth biggest weapon buyer between the periods of 2008-2012. In addition, the country is also one of the world’s most densely armed nations. It was predicted that the country can become one of the top five arms importers in 2013-2017. Majority of its military weapons are imported from Europe and North America. Saudi Arabia purchased 48 Typhoon combat aircrafts from United Kingdom and 152 F-15SA from the U.S. Its armored vehicles come from Canada, France and the United States.