The US has granted the contract to Boeing to supply integrated logistics assistance for the government of Kuwait in preparation for training Kuwaiti pilots for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet’s arrival.
The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a $70m agreement to offer essential general logistics aid for Kuwaiti pilots on the F/A-18E/F fighter jet.
The arrangement supports the introduction of the F/A-18E/F into the Kuwait armed forces as a strike fighter intended for conventional strike missions and air support. Kuwait has previously employed the aircraft for homeland defense but is transitioning away from its Hornet F/A-18C and F/A-18D fleet.
The project involves general logistics assistance, logistics program management, and logistics support during pilot training with Sniper advanced targeting pods (ATPs). It will span three years and aid in improving targeting capabilities.
This contract will bolster Kuwait’s capacity to counter regional menaces and protect its borders and major infrastructure, according to the US.
GlobalData’s “Kuwait Defense Market 2022-2027” report asserts that the Kuwaiti Government is slated to host one of the largest US military airbases in the Middle East at an anticipated cost of $32m. The establishment of the new Cargo City will enable Kuwait to augment the operational efficacy of its military and foster security and stability throughout the country.
The 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent occupation by Iraq, which persisted for nearly seven months, urged Kuwait to concentrate on cultivating a strong defense capability. Kuwait has since utilized its oil and gas export revenues to finance its defense acquisitions.
Kuwait’s military fixed-wing market forecast is valued at $496m but is projected to attain $1bn by 2026, as per GlobalData’s report “The Global Military Fixed-Wing Aircraft Market Forecast 2023-2033.”
Nonetheless, last month, Boeing revealed plans to cease F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft production in late 2025.
Kuwait, Boeing, and the US’s tripartite connection date back to the 1990s when Kuwait purchased military fixed-wing aircraft from Boeing. At present, in Kuwait’s equipment inventory, the nation has 31 F/A-18C and eight F/A-18D, with both acquisitions occurring in the early 1990s following Iraq’s invasion.
In September 2022, the US declared that it had authorized M1A2K tank ammunition sales to Kuwait.