WASHINGTON ( WNAM MONITORING ): The US State Department notified Congress on Monday of two proposed arms sales to the United Arab Emirates totaling an estimated $1.45 billion as President Donald Trump embarked on a four-day Middle East tour.
The first sale, worth $1.32 billion, includes six CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters and a wide range of support equipment such as engines, missile warning systems, machine guns and in-flight refueling capabilities, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
The second proposed sale, valued at $130 million, involves F-16 sustainment and spare parts.
It builds on a prior case below the congressional notification threshold and includes munitions support equipment, night vision device support and spare equipment; software, and logistics support, according to the DSCA.
The DSCA said the deals would “support the foreign policy and national security of the United States” by bolstering the defense capabilities of the UAE, a key US partner in the Middle East.
The announcement came after Trump departed for the Middle East for the first major international trip of his second term, which includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
