The State Department approved a possible $130 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) request to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Guided Bomb Units (GBU-31s and GBU-12s) and associated equipment, parts, and logistical support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on May 29.
The primary contractors would be Boeing [BA] and Raytheon [RTN].
The requested FMS would include 500 GBU-31B/B(V)1 (MK-84/BLU-117) bombs, 500 GBU-31B/B(V)3 (BLU-109) bombs, 600 GBU-12 (MK-82/BLU-111) bombs, containers, fuzes, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training, and training equipment.
The sale would also include U.S. government and contractor logistics and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support.
“The proposed sale will provide the UAE with additional precision guided munitions capability to meet the current threat represented by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and Houthi aggression in Yemen,” DSCA said.
DSCA also highlighted that the UAE continues to provide host-nation support of U.S. forces stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base.
Implementation of the FMS would require periodic U.S. government or contractor representatives to travel to the UAE on a temporary basis for program reviews and technical support.