The State Department approved a possible sale of $670 million in TOW 2B (BGM-71F-Series) missiles to Saudi Arabia, according to a release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
Together, with a new $300 million sale for spare vehicle parts for the Royal Saudi Land Forces Ordnance Corps, the new deals announced amount to nearly $1 billion.
Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Pentagon.
This possible missile sale will “support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by improving the security of a friendly country which has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic growth in the Middle East,” according to the DSCA, which oversees foreign military sales.
This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded. According to the New York Times, the proposed sale is likely to be questioned by Congress, where the Senate this week rejected a bipartisan effort to halt American military support for the bombing campaign in Yemen.
