State Department clears $1B in Saudi weapons sales

The State Department has approved $1 billion in possible foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency announcement.

The FMS approvals were announced amid a state visit by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

DSCA's announcement includes three separate deals: $670 million for up to 6,600 tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided (TOW) 2B missiles; $300 million for logistics support to Saudi Arabia’s fleet of M1A2 Abrams tanks, M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, humvees, light armored vehicles, and howitzers; and $107 million for support to the Saudi Arabia's fleet of AH-64D/E, UH-60L, Schweizer 333 and Bell 406CS helicopters.

The principal contractor in the TOW deal is Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, AZ, while the principal contractor in the aviation support deal is DynCorps International, Mclean, VA. There are no principal contractors in the ground vehicle logistics support deal.