State Department approves $950M logistics support sale for South Korea's RQ-4 fleet

The State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of an estimated $950 million in contractor logistics support for South Korea's fleet of RQ-4 Block 30 remotely piloted aircraft.

According to a news release by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, South Korea requested program management, pilot and maintenance training, minor modifications and upgrades, operational flight support and other services. Northrop Grumman will be the principal contractor.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by meeting the legitimate security and defense needs of one of the closest allies in the [Indo-Pacific Command] Theater," DSCA says in the notice.

It continues, "The potential sale will further strengthen the interoperability between the United States and the Republic of Korea and ensures the Alliance has a robust intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability on the Korean peninsula."