The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Thursday of plans to sell the United Arab Emirates certain equipment necessary to support a flight of F-16 Block 61 fighter jets that the country intends to purchase from Lockheed Martin (LMT -0.28%).
As DSCA explained in its notice, the UAE is in the process of negotiating a commercial purchase of 30 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 61 aircraft, and of upgrading its existing fleet of F-16 Block 60 aircraft. The country intends to purchase, through the intermediary of the U.S. Department of Defense, the following equipment for installation aboard these fighter jets:
- 40 20mm M61A Guns
- 40 Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation Systems
- Assorted Identification Friend or Foe Equipment, Joint Mission Planning Systems, night vision devices, spare parts, diagnostics equipment, and other related equipment -- plus training and other services
The estimated cost of this arms package, exclusive of the cost of the fighter jets themselves, is $270 million. Lockheed Martin will be the prime contractor.
According to DSCA, this sale "is consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives," and will cause "no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness." Nor will the sale "alter the basic military balance in the region."
