On Tuesday, the State Department supported a possible foreign ministry sale to Jordan on February 8. The State Department Bureau of Political Ministry Affairs (PMA) states that the $70 million deal will include guided multiple rocket systems, substitute warheads, unitary rocket pods, and related equipment.
“The Defence Security Cooperation Agency provided the needed certification notifying Congress of this possible sale,” said State Department.
The Jordanian appeal included 114 guided multiple-launch rocket systems, unitary high explosives, tri-mode fuze rockets and 114 reduced range practise rockets.
The negotiations also contain support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and equipment, and other logistical services.
“This offered sale will help the foreign policy as well as the national security of the United States by helping them in their security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an essential force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” said PM.
The proposed sale will boost Jordan‘s capability to meet with the current and future threats on the border and also will provide greater security for their economic infrastructure.
“This sale will provide Jordan with a long-range precision-artillery support capability that will greatly improve US-Jordan interoperability and provide for the defence of essential installations. Jordan will have no dilemma absorbing these additional systems into its armed forces.”
The deal comes at the heels of three additional arms sales that were announced last week. The Department of Defense informed Congress of another possible sale of 16 F-16 C/D Block 70 aircraft, a deal estimated to be worth $4.21 billion.
In addition, the State Department also passed a possible sale to Saudi Arabia of Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT) and related equipment for a nearly cost of $23.7 million.
“The Defense Security Cooperation Agency provided the necessary certification telling Congress of this possible sale,” said State Department.
According to the Senior Fellow of JINSA’ John Hannah’, “It’s no accident that the US is moving now to bolster the defences of our critical Arab partners.”