WASHINGTON \u2014 The US State Department today greenlit several potential arms deals for key Middle East partners Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iraq, totaling about $6.1 billion-worth of equipment. <\/p>\n
By far the largest approved sale<\/a> would be for Riyadh to buy just over 10,000 kits of the extended range Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and associated equipment in a deal valued at $5 billion. The prospective transaction includes a similar number of dumb bombs \u2014 split almost evenly between 500 lb. and 2,000 lb. munitions \u2014 which when equipped with a JDAM can be used as a precision weapon. JDAMs are supplied by aerospace giant Boeing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s JDAM stockpiling comes amid heavy aerial bombardment during conflict with Iran, which has depleted inventories of key precision munitions, according to an estimate<\/a> by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The JDAM is often seen as a cheaper alternative to more exquisite weapons, but Boeing has previously said its extended range variant is limited to a distance of over 45 miles<\/a> \u2014 requiring aircraft carrying the weapon to fly relatively closer to a target.<\/p>\n The State Department today additionally cleared a second potential arms sale<\/a> for Riyadh covering 60 AGT-1500 tank engines, which are used to power the M1 Abrams. That deal, according to the State Department, is valued at $750 million, and the prime contractor is Honeywell.\u00a0<\/p>\n Separately, Oman was approved to buy $188 million worth of sustainment services<\/a> for its fleet of F-16 fighter jets. While Lockheed Martin builds the F-16 and principally runs the aircraft\u2019s sustainment, the State Department notice says that \u201cno principal contractor\u201d is associated with the potential sale, and that \u201c[s]upport will be provided by U.S. Government or contracted vendors based upon requirements as they are determined.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n A mediator in the Iran conflict<\/a>, Oman has also been the target of President Donald Trump\u2019s ire, including threats<\/a> by the president to bomb the Gulf sultanate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Finally, the State Department authorized the possible sale of Bell 412EPX<\/a> helicopters to Iraq, which the notice says is estimated at $150 million. The primary contractor for that purchase would be Bell-Textron.\u00a0<\/p>\n