The State Department has approved the sale of as many as four Littoral Combat Ships for $11.25 billion under the Foreign Military Sales program according to an official cited by Bloomberg. The approval allows the Saudis to negotiate contracts for the ships unless Congress passes legislation to block the deal, the report said.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visits with Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The news is just the latest arms sale in the biggest year yet for the United States. According to Defense News, the DSOC has racked up a record of $46.6 billion in foreign military sales for the fiscal year of 2015. “Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) director Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey said that 2015 was the agency’s biggest year yet, outside of a 2012 boost from F-15 fighter jet sales to Saudi Arabia. DSCA processed $34.2 billion in sales in 2014, and $27.8 in 2013.”
However, the same report expected a dip in sales next year. FMS “typically has an inverse relationship to OPEC oil prices, and defense officials expect falling oil prices and international defense budgets to spark a decline in their sales for fiscal 2016.”
The U.S. is looking to shore up the defenses of Gulf partners in the wake of the nuclear agreement with Iran. Saudi Arabia, a strong U.S. ally and itself a major buyer of U.S. military equipment, is leading a coalition of forces in Yemen to restore to power the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is still recognized by the U.N. as the legitimate ruler there.
Saudi Arabia agreed to the largest single arms purchase ever in 2010 when it bought $60 billion of military equipment from the United States.
Saudi Arabia is also facing threats, both external and internal, from the self-described Islamic State (ISIS), and is increasingly supplying arms to rebels in Syria to unseat the government of Bashar Assad, who is backed by both Iran and Russia.
Last week, the State Department approved the sale of UH-60M Black Hawk Utility Helicopters and associated equipment, parts and logistical support to Saudi Arabia for an estimated cost of $495 million. In July, a sale of $500m in ammunition for the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) was approved by the State Department.
The biggest approved deal by the State Department to Saudi Arabia this year was the approval of a possible sale of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missiles and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $5.4 billion, in June.
Saudi Arabia agreed to the largest single arms purchase ever in 2010 when it bought $60 billion of military equipment from the United States, including 84 F-15 fighter aircraft and almost 200 helicopters, and the upgrading of 70 older-model F-15s.
