The State Department approved a possible $1.2 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) request to Japan for three RQ-4 Block 30 (I) Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and associated equipment, parts and logistical support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on Nov. 19.
Photo: Northrop Grumman
The requested FMS would include major defense equipment (MDE) of three RQ-4 Block 30 (I) Global Hawk Remotely Piloted Aircraft with Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS), eight Kearfott Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) units (two per aircraft with two spares), and eight LN-251 INS/GPS units (2 per aircraft with 2 spares).
The sale would also include operational-level sensor and aircraft test equipment, ground support equipment, operational flight test support, communications equipment, spare and repair parts, personnel training, publications and technical data, U.S. government and contractor technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.
The prime contractor for the sale would be Northrop Grumman [NOC]. The purchaser requested offsets but agreements were undetermined at the time of announcement and will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and contractor.
Japan would use the equipment to significantly enhance its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and help ensure the country is able to continue to monitor and deter regional threats, DSCA said.
The agency also said the deal “is consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives and the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security” between the United States and Japan.
Implementation of the sale would require the assignment of contractor representatives to Japan to perform contractor logistics support and to support the establishment of required security infrastructure.