Pentagon Approves up to $4.2bn in Arms Sales

Pentagon Approves up to $4.2bn in Arms Sales 17 July 2008: The US Defense Department said on Tuesday it had approved sales of aviation fuel, missiles and other weapons valued at $4.2bn to seven US allies, including Israel, Australia, Singapore and Germany. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees major arms sales, said it notified Congress about seven separate deals in recent days. Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sales, although such action is rare since such arms deals with US partners are carefully vetted before the Pentagon ever announces them. The deals unveiled on Tuesday were: ISRAEL The Pentagon said it was prepared to sell Israel unleaded gasoline, JP-8 aviation jet fuel and diesel fuel valued at up $1.3bn, if all options were exercised. AUSTRALIA The DSCA said it had approved the sale to Australia of the Aegis combat system and associated equipment, including launchers, radars and a fire control system, in a deal valued at up to $700m if all options were exercised. Principal contractors for the deal would be Lockheed Martin Corp, Raytheon Co and Northrop Grumman Corp. SINGAPORE The Pentagon said it was ready to sell Singapore up to $962m in advanced missiles, satellite-guided bombs, night vision goggles and other weapons. The deal includes 72 AIM-120C-5 Advanced Medium Range Air- to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), 128 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM, 50 MK-82 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, 71 night vision goggles, 236 AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles and 50 fighter data link terminals. GERMANY If approved, Germany would get up to $250m in continued base serves for German Air Force Tornado aircraft operations at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The air base is the only location where the German Air Force trains air crews in Tornado aircraft operations and tactics, a cooperative agreement that began in 1989. MOROCCO The DSCA said it had approved the sale of up to $155m in AMRAAM missiles, Sidewinder missiles and various bombs for Morocco. The main contractors would be Lockheed, Raytheon and Boeing Co. FINLAND Finland had also requested the sale of up to 300 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM missiles and associated services, a deal valued at up to $435m if all options were exercised, according to the Pentagon agency. The prime contractor for that deal would be Raytheon as well, it said. QATAR Finally, the Pentagon said it had approved the sale to Qatar of logistics support and training for two Boeing C-17 transport planes, in a deal valued at up to $400m. Boeing would be the prime contractor.