Military Preparing Bid to Buy U.S. Jets

The Saudi Arabian military is preparing a request to buy 102 F-16 fighter jets from the United States worth between $5 billion and $15 billion, industry and diplomatic officials said. Some industry executives and diplomatic officials speculated that the Saudis are timing the application to calm U.S. anger over what the Justice Department calls their lack of cooperation in the investigation of the truck bombing in June that killed 19 U.S. airmen. The deal, if consummated, would be a triumph for Lockheed Martin Corp., which makes the F-16s, but it would be a setback for McDonnell Douglas Corp., which has sold 168 F-15 jets to Saudi Arabia and had hoped for more sales.