SAUDIS CONCLUDE STUDY ON SUBMARINE PURCHASES
Saudi Arabia's Defence and Aviation
Minister was quoted as saying the kingdom had completed studies
on the purchase of submarines, and tenders would be invited to
supply the vessels.
    The daily al-Riyadh reported Prince Sultan ibn Abdulaziz as
saying: "A thorough study by the Ministry on the submarines has
been completed and it is probable King Fahd will announce the
party with which the kingdom will deal to buy them."
    He gave no further details.
    The London-based magazine Jane's Defence Weekly said last
October the Saudi government had approached six European
countries to supply between six and eight submarines at a cost
of up to 2.9 billion dlrs.
    It said Britain was expected to offer the Upholder
submarine, made by Vickers Plc <VICK.L> and designed mainly for
NATO. France, West Germany, Italy, Sweden and The Netherlands
were also submitting proposals.
    British Defence Secretary George Younger said during a
visit to Saudi Arabia last month that the kingdom was
evaluating all proposals.
 REUTER
