Free Republic

Saudi Arabia is weighing buying an advanced Russian missile system to shore up its defence against a potentially nuclear Iran, Gulf analysts and diplomats said. They said Moscow and Riyadh are close to sealing a deal on a multi-billion-dollar weapons package that could include Russia's advanced S-400 missile defence system. It is the newest version of the S-300 long-range surface to air missile system that Moscow has been in discussion for several years to sell to Iran, which denies Western charges of aiming to become a nuclear power. But heavy Western and Israeli pressure and a possibly more lucrative deal...

LONDON: Defence contractor Lockheed Martin Corp is the frontrunner to win a one billion pound ($1.61 billion) contract for a UK ground-based air defence system, the Observer said on Sunday. The newspaper said that industry insiders indicated Lockheed was the favourite to win the contract from Britain's Ministry of Defence. Other contenders include Frances' Thales, European aerospace firm EADS and MDBA, a joint venture between Britain's BAE Systems and Italy's Finmeccanica, according to the Observer. The four competitors are expected to be cut to two over the coming two weeks, with MBDA the most likely to join Lockheed in the...