MUNICH/BERLIN • Germany's halt in exports to Saudi Arabia is preventing Britain from completing the sale of 48 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes to Riyadh, and has delayed potential sales of other weapons such as the A400M military transport, a top Airbus official has said.

Germany last November said it would reject future export licences to Saudi Arabia after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It has not formally banned previously approved deals, which would entitle companies to compensation, but has urged industry to refrain from such shipments for now.

Airbus' defence and space chief Dirk Hoke said uncertainty over the issue had undermined Berlin's credibility, and could threaten future Franco-German defence projects, including a planned Eurodrone that was heading for an initial contract by the end of the year.

"We're facing constraints in many projects, and many problems have been put on ice," Mr Hoke said on Friday, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Germany accounts for just under 2 per cent of total Saudi arms imports, a small percentage compared with the US and Britain, but it makes components for other countries' export contracts.

REUTERS