Robins to add jobs as part of Saudi defense package Published Jan. 24, 2012 By Jenny Gordon 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed a $29.4 billion foreign military sales agreement in late December for the purchase of 84 F-15SA advanced fighter aircraft. The sale also includes upgrades to its current fleet of 70 F-15S aircraft, as well as munitions, spare parts, training, maintenance and logistics support. The F-15 System Program Office at Robins will benefit from the sale - the largest foreign military sales contract in U.S. history - by adding 80 jobs to the F-15SA program when fully staffed by the end of 2012. "2012 is going to be an extremely busy and exciting year for Team Robins and the Air Force," said Col. Robert Stambaugh, F-15SA Security Assistance Program Manager. "This program solidifies Robins' role as a leader in foreign military sales throughout the Department of Defense." A total of 29 Air Force, Navy and various joint organizations will be supporting what is officially known as the RSAF F-15 Fleet Modernization Program. Of the $29.4 billion defense package, Stambaugh anticipated that $10 billion will be executed out of Robins. Work will continue as it has over the past 30 years from the F-15 SPO, with management of the modification of current F-15S aircraft done from here, as well as sustainment of the new F-15SA and existing Saudi fleet, noted Stambaugh. Manufactured by Boeing, the F-15SA will have the latest generation of computing power, communications, radar technology, infrared sensors and electronic warfare systems. In addition to the F-15 SPO, the electronic warfare and precision attack program offices at Robins will support the effort. "We will be buying the electronic warfare systems for the conversion of the airplanes, and buying refurbishment kits for the (low altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night) LANTIRN navigation pods, and additional sniper targeting pods needed to outfit their larger fleet," added Stambaugh. Initial delivery of the first aircraft will be in 2015, with modification kit installations to be performed in the Kingdom starting in 2016. The program will continue until 2020. Under the agreement, Saudi airmen will attend Air Force technical training at various installations, a partnership which has continued for more than 25 years. Since 2007, more than 1,000 RSAF students have benefitted from training programs, including pilot, navigator, logistics, maintenance and explosive ordnance disposal training. The letter of offer and acceptance agreement was finalized in Riyadh on Dec. 24.