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Jordan Meeting Jordan's Equipment Needs in the 1980s
When problems were encountered with supply from the United
States, Jordan's preferred alternative source for weaponry has been
Western Europe. Increasingly, however, Hussein has purchased
weapons from the Soviet Union, which has been willing to provide
weapons at low prices and on attractive credit terms. According to
ACDA, the Soviet Union was the largest single source of Jordanian
weapons imports between 1982 and 1986, supplying weaponry valued at
US$1.1 billion. France was second, with US$825 million. The United
States was third, with US$725 million, followed by Britain with
US$575 million. The initial Soviet arms agreement, concluded in
1981, was for US$360 million--partially underwritten by Iraq--and
covering SA-8 vehicle-mounted SAMs and air defense artillery
systems. This agreement was followed in 1984 by a further purchase
of US$300 million worth of SAMs and in 1985 by additional contracts
for unspecified quantities of equipment, including the SA-13
low-altitude SAM and the SA-14 shoulder-fired SAM (regarded as a
substitute for the Stinger, which Hussein had been unable to obtain
from the United States).
France has actively promoted sales of military equipment to
Jordan since the 1970s. In addition to the Mirage F-1, it has
supplied Alouette helicopters and air-to-air missiles. Since 1980,
France has sold considerable quantities of munitions and artillery
to Jordan and in 1988 won a major aircraft contract to supply the
Mirage 2000 and to upgrade Mirage F-1s in Jordan's existing
inventory.
Significant purchases from Britain included the Chieftain and
Centurion tanks, plus Bulldog trainer aircraft. In 1985 a
government-subsidized credit of US$350 million was extended by a
consortium of British banks for Jordanian purchases of ammunition,
light transport, communications, avionics, and other equipment. In
1987 Spain for the first time became a substantial supplier,
receiving a Jordanian contract estimated at about US$90 million for
twenty aircraft, including transports and jet trainers.
Data as of December 1989
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