Washington Approves Possible 5 Billion dollar Munitions Deal With Saudi Arabia

The United States has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia worth an estimated $5 billion, covering precision-guidance systems, bombs and related military equipment, the US State Department said on Friday. According to the congressional notification issued by the department, the proposed package includes thousands of Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) guidance kits, general-purpose bombs, fuzes, target detectors, containers, spare parts and other support equipment. The deal would also include technical, engineering and logistical assistance from the US government and defence contractors.

Saudi Arabia has requested 5,004 KMU-572 JDAM guidance kits and 5,000 KMU-556 JDAM guidance kits, along with 5,004 BLU-111 500-pound general-purpose bombs and 5,000 BLU-117 2,000-pound bombs. The package would additionally contain FMU-139 fuze systems, DSU-38 and DSU-40 target detectors, spare parts, consumables and other equipment required to support the weapons.

The State Department said the proposed transaction would serve US foreign policy and national security interests by strengthening Saudi Arabias ability to protect itself against regional security threats. Washington considers Riyadh an important contributor to political stability and economic development in the Gulf. The department said the weapons would improve Saudi Arabias airborne defence capabilities against both current and emerging threats while strengthening its ability to defend its territory and critical infrastructure. The sale is also expected to improve interoperability between Saudi forces and US troops, as well as other American partners in the Gulf region.

US officials assessed that Saudi Arabia would be able to incorporate the equipment into its armed forces without significant difficulty. The department also said the proposed transaction was not expected to change the existing military balance in the region. Boeing, based in Virginia, has been named as the principal contractor for the potential deal. The US government said it was not currently aware of any offset agreement connected with the transaction. It also said implementation would not require additional US government or contractor personnel to be assigned to Saudi Arabia and would not adversely affect US defence readiness.

The potential arms sale comes as security concerns continue to rise across West Asia. Tensions involving the United States and Iran, attacks affecting Saudi Arabia and renewed activity by Yemens Houthi rebels have contributed to a more uncertain security environment in and around the Gulf. Saudi Arabia has consequently been seeking to strengthen its ability to respond to potential air and missile threats and protect key infrastructure.

The latest defence proposal also follows recent progress in US-Saudi cooperation in the civilian nuclear sector. More than a month ago, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman signed agreements establishing a framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries. The arrangements included a 123 Agreement, along with a bilateral safeguards agreement.

The US Department of Energy said the agreements would create a legal framework for a long-term, multi-billion-dollar partnership in civil nuclear energy. The arrangements are intended to support nuclear nonproliferation, strengthen safety and security standards and provide US companies with greater opportunities to participate in Saudi Arabias developing civilian nuclear programme. The agreements also form part of the Trump administrations wider push to expand American civil nuclear technology exports and strengthen the position of US companies in the global nuclear energy market.

The proposed $5 billion military package and the recent nuclear cooperation agreements demonstrate the expanding scope of the US-Saudi strategic partnership. Defence, energy security and civilian nuclear cooperation have become increasingly important areas of engagement as Washington and Riyadh respond to the changing security landscape across the Gulf and wider West Asia.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.