The State Department approved two Foreign Military Sales (FMS) requests to South Korea totaling $140 million for AIM AGM-65G-2 Maverick Missiles and AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Missiles and related support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sales on Jan. 31.
The Maverick FMS includes 89 missiles, missile containers, and other related elements of support for a total of $70 million.
The Sidewinder sale includes 60 AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II All-up-Round Missiles and six (6) AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, containers, spares and missile support, U.S. government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics support. The total cost is $70 million as well.
The prime contractor for both sales is Raytheon [RTN].
South Korea will use the capability of both missiles as a deterrent to regional threats and strengthen homeland defense while it already has AGM-65G and AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II in its inventory, DSCA said.
The agency said it is vital to United States national interests to “assist our Korean ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability,” and that the sale increases South Korea’s capability to participate in Pacific regional security operations and improve its national security posture.
Implementation of the Sidewinder sale will require U.S. government or contractor personnel conduct in-country visits on a temporary basis in conjunction with program technical oversights and support requirements. No other long-term assignments are required for either missile sale.