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The Harold Wilson Government, Airwork Services Limited, and the Saudi Arabian Air Defence Scheme, 1965—73

USAF Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama

This article examines the role of Airwork Services Limited in the Saudi Arabian Air Defence Scheme, a package of military aircraft, air defences and support services provided by a consortium of British companies to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1966 to 1973. It argues that Harold Wilson's government saw the scheme as a means of boosting British exports while maintaining good relations with Saudi Arabia, in the context of growing limitations to Britain's military presence East of Suez. Ultimately, however, Airwork, the principal service provider, proved unable to meet Saudi demands, necessitating the intervention of the British government on a scale it had originally hoped to avoid. In addition to shedding light on Anglo-Saudi relations, the article provides insights into the benefits and limitations of private military companies as tools of foreign policy.

Key Words: Airwork Services • Harold Wilson • Private Military Companies • Saudi Arabia

Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 42, No. 2, 345-363 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0022009407075547


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