WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (UPI/Ryan Maass) — The U.S. State Department approved Monday the sale of over 10,000 air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia.
The sale awaits approval from Congress, and has an estimated value of up to $1.29 billion. The deal comes a week after allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council raised concerns over low supplies as the Saudi military continues its airstrike campaigns against Islamist militant targets in both Syria and Yemen, according to Defense News.
Government officials from both countries say the deal will strengthen military relations, and help the Saudi military promote stability in the region, the Kuwait News Agency reports.
“US industry is responding, as it always does, to increase production to meet US defense needs and those of our valued partners,” Air Force Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Heidi Grant wrote to Defense News.
The weapons to be sold include 1,000 GBU-10 Paveway II laser guided bombs, 1,500 BLU-109 penetrator warheads, 8,020 BLU-111/MK-82 500 pound general-purpose bombs, and thousands of other munitions.
