Switzerland-headquartered Pilatus Aircraft has signed an agreement with the UK’s BAE Systems to supply aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). The value of the deal was not disclosed.

The aircraft manufacturer will deliver a fleet of 55 Pilatus PC-21 turboprop aircraft, together with an integrated ground-based training system and a comprehensive logistics support package. Deliveries of the aircraft, training systems and logistics package are scheduled to commence in 2014. The aircraft will be used for basic flying training for the RSAF and will replace Pilatus’s PC-9s.

In late May, BAE signed a $3bn contract with Saudi Arabia to supply Hawk trainer jets. That contract is also expected to include the supply of simulators, ground and training equipment, and spare parts. In 2006, Saudi Arabia agreed to buy 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jets from BAE Systems for a fee worth at least $10bn.

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), in 2010, Saudi Arabia was the biggest spender on defence in the GCC. In that year, the kingdom spent an estimated $45bn on defence, equivalent to about 11 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP).