Saudi Arabia has signed a $3 billion deal with Britain to buy trainer jets, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said today, citing an unnamed official at the Saudi Defense Ministry.

Reuters reported that the deal is for 30 Hawk Trainer Jets.

Negotiations over the deal had been going on “for some time”, according to a BBC correspondent.

The deal also includes simulators, ground and training equipment and spare parts, SPA said, quoting a Defense Ministry official.

The official said the new jets would help qualify Saudi pilots “to use fourth generation jet fighters in full professionalism and efficiency.”

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz in April visited Britain, a major supplier of weapons to the oil-rich Kingdom.

Britain is a major supplier of weapons to the Kingdom who, in 2006, ordered 72 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters in a deal worth at least £6bn.

Source: SPA; Reuters; BBC