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Jordan MILITARY RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES
Given Jordan's limited resources and state of development, the
maintenance of its modern armed establishment has been possible
only with extensive reliance on foreign aid. The sources of
military assistance have shifted somewhat during the different
periods of the country's existence; however, until the 1980s,
Jordan had looked primarily to Britain and the United States for
military matériel. During the 1980s, France emerged as an
increasingly important supplier of combat aircraft, and the Soviet
Union increasingly supplied air defense systems. To a great extent,
major acquisitions have been purchased on generous credit terms,
with financing of the military debt made possible by grants from
other Arab countries.
From the time the amirate was created in 1921, British aid took
the form of direct annual subsidies in conformance with a special
treaty relationship. Britain continued to underwrite the entire
cost of the Arab Legion until early 1957, when the defense treaty
was dissolved by mutual consent. During the last years of the
subsidy, the annual payment for the legion was the equivalent of
about US$33.6 million. After 1957 a British-reinforced army brigade
and an RAF squadron remained in Jordan for a short period and
contributed significantly to the preservation of political
stability and internal security. British aid, no longer part of a
treaty commitment, eventually tapered off to a moderate level of
military sales.
American military aid began on a small scale in 1950, but in
1957 the United States became the kingdom's principal source of
assistance in meeting its national security needs. In the mid1970s , however, conditions imposed by the United States during
lengthy negotiations leading to the sale of Hawk SAMs initiated a
period of increasing strain in the relations between the two
countries.
Hussein's growing independence in purchasing military matériel
was facilitated in part by his strengthened ties to other Arab
countries after Jordan joined them in opposing the United Statessponsored 1978 Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. During
the Baghdad Summit of Arab leaders in that year, oil-producing Arab
states of the Persian Gulf area, plus Libya and Algeria, pledged to
compensate Jordan in the form of US$1.25 billion annually for ten
years for its rejection of the accords. Following the precipitous
drop in oil prices, however, most countries reneged on their
commitments or made only partial payments. By 1984, it was
estimated that Jordan was receiving only US$550 million annually,
and only Saudi Arabia was current on its pledge. When the Baghdad
Summit commitments expired in 1988, Jordan continued to look to
Saudi Arabia, which in that year supplied an estimated US$350
million in assistance.
Data as of December 1989
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