US approves $1.4B in military sales to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain: What to know
An estimated $1 billion in foreign military sales will go to Saudi Arabia, and $445 million will go to Bahrain.
The US State Department on Monday cleared three new foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, totaling an estimated $1.4 billion, and sent the proposed packages to Congress for review.
What happened: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Pentagon office that manages US military sales and training for foreign partners, outlined the details of the requests in statements on Monday. Two of the proposed deals involve Saudi Arabia, and the third is for Bahrain.
The sale to Bahrain totals $445 million and focuses on F-16 sustainment. The country is seeking aircraft parts, missile containers, radar components, guidance system spares, ground support gear and lab equipment. The new equipment would be added to an earlier foreign military sales case that fell below the legal threshold for congressional notification. The principal contractors are expected to be General Electric Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the prime manufacturer of the F-16.
Bahrain, a major non-NATO ally of the United States, first received the F-16 fighter jets in 1990, becoming the first Gulf country to operate the aircraft. The United States provided the jets to modernize Bahrain's air force and improve interoperability with US and allied forces, particularly ahead of regional contingencies such as the 1991 Gulf War.
Saudi Arabia’s first request is a $500 million sale that would keep its helicopter fleet supplied with parts and repairs. The plan would give the country access to a US system that allows allies to order replacement items as they are needed. The support covers a wide mix of aircraft used by the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Corps, including workhorse helicopters like Black Hawks, Apaches and Chinooks, plus lighter aircraft such as Schweizer 333s and Aerial Scouts. The deal also includes logistics support.
The second Saudi case, also valued at $500 million, is a blanket order training package. The proposal would allow the US Army to provide training services to the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Corps.
DSCA says the three proposed sales would not require sending new US government employees or contractors to Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, nor would they shift the balance of military power in the region. Unless Congress blocks the sales within their 30-day review window, they will be approved.
Background: The State Department's approvals come less than two weeks after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Washington for meetings with President Donald Trump, where defense cooperation and military sales were high on the agenda. Ahead of the visit, Trump announced plans to sell Saudi Arabia dozens of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets, which, if finalized, would make the kingdom the first Arab country to possess the aircraft.
Congress, which has 30 days to review any proposed foreign military sale, could raise objections and potentially block any such F-35 sale over national security concerns about protecting advanced technology, as well as lingering human rights issues related to the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which US intelligence tied to Saudi leadership.
Know more: During Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit, Trump also designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally. This status cuts some of the licensing and regulatory requirements that apply to other countries acquiring advanced weaponry, thereby making it easier for Riyadh to purchase US military equipment.
