State Department Prepares To Ship More Weapons To Israel
By PHC Telegraph
Congress has received a request from the State Department asking for an approval to supply tactical weapons to enhance the capability of the Israeli Air Force.
The deal conceived through the Foreign Military Sales (PMS) programme is worth approximately US$6 billion.
Presenting its request, the State Department reminded Congress of the shared interests between the United States and the State of Israel.
It stated, “The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and it is in the US national interest to assist Israel in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives.”
Under the deal, if congressional approval is given, Washington will deliver thousands of bombs and guided munitions to Israel.
The aim is to further strengthen Israel’s airpower and enhance its strategic role in the Middle East.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) which is part of the move said the Israeli government has requested from the United States the purchase of a significant number of bombs and guided munitions for its Air Force fighter jets.
The entire package, estimated to cost $6.75 billion, will be supplied by Boeing, L3Harris, ATK Tactical Systems Company LLC, and the U.S. Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma.
Here is a breakdown of what the Israelis are asking for from their US counterpart:
- 2,166 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment 1 (SDB-I).
- 2,800 MK 82 500-pound general-purpose bomb bodies.
- 13,000 JDAM guidance kits: KMU-556E/B, KMU-556H/B with SABR-Y, KMU-556F/B, or KMU-556J/B for MK-84 bomb bodies.
- 3,475 JDAM guidance kits: KMU-557E/B, KMU-557F/B, KMU-557H/B with SABR-Y, or KMU-557J/B for BLU-109 bomb bodies.
- 1,004 JDAM guidance kits: KMU-572E/B, KMU-572F/B, KMU-572H/B with SABR-Y, or KMU-572J/B for the GBU-38v1.
- 17,475 FMU-152A/B fuzes.
“The proposed sale enhances Israel’s ability to address current and future threats”, the State Department said, “strengthens its national defense, and serves as a deterrent against regional threats.”
“Israel already possesses these weapons in its inventory and will have no difficulty integrating this equipment into its armed forces”, the department added.