Saudi Arabia has signed a $3 billion deal with Britain to buy trainer jets, the official news agency SPA said on Wednesday citing an unnamed official at the Saudi Defence Ministry.

It quoted the source as saying the deal would help train 'the Saudi air force to be able to use the fighter jets...efficiently'.

Britain is a major supplier of weapons to the kingdom, which in 2006 ordered 72 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters in a deal valued at $32.9 billion.