These capabilities will be conveyed via Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA). Potential future defense capabilities are detailed in a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) to support Saudi Arabia's defense needs.
The package demonstrates the United States’ commitment to our partnership with Saudi Arabia, while expanding opportunities for American companies in the region, potentially supporting tens of thousands of new jobs in the United States.
The intended sales fall broadly into five categories: border security and counterterrorism, maritime and coastal security, air force modernization, air and missile defense, and cybersecurity and communications upgrades. Included are offers of extensive training and support to strengthen our partnership and the Saudi armed forces.
The purpose of the package is “to contribute to a regional security architecture that advances defense cooperation for both the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Defense Security Cooperation Agency Director Vice. Adm. Joseph Rixey.
“Additionally, it provides our partners with full-spectrum capabilities and the use of other security cooperation programs, such as defense institution building programs that address not only the material and related training, but also education and advising on strategy-planning doctrine and institutional support.”
The LOAs, as well as amendments to previous LOAs, are associated with the following Congressional Notifications: (Total is $23.685 billion—Ed.)
- Various Munitions and Support: $6.8 billion
- Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) Ships: $11.25 billion
- Ammunition for the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF). : $500 million
- M1A2S Saudi Abrams MBTs and M88Al/A2 HERCULES: $1.1 billion
- CH-47F Chinook Cargo Helicopters. $3.51 million
- 74K Persistent Threat Detection Aerostats: $525 million
As these represent maximum allowable case value, future LOAs may also be signed under these Congressional Notifications.
Future sales outlined in the MOI are expected to be announced following review through the normal policy and Congressional Notification processes.
( EDITOR’S NOTE: As is shown by the date of their notification to Congress (click on links), these sales were negotiated and approved under the previous administration; their combined total is about one-fourth of the “$110 billion” arms package announced by the White House on May 20.)
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