Washington. America has approved a possible deal to sell weapons and military equipment worth about $5 billion to Saudi Arabia. The proposed sale includes JDAM-ER systems, thousands of bombs and related equipment. The US State Department has informed Congress about this.
What is included in the proposed arms deal?
According to the US State Department, Saudi Arabia has requested 5,004 KMU-572 JDAM guidance kits and 5,000 KMU-556 JDAM guidance kits. Additionally, 5,004 BLU-111 500-pound general-use bombs and 5,000 BLU-117 2,000-pound bombs are also part of the proposed package. The deal will also include fuse systems, target detectors, containers, spare parts, support equipment and other essential items. Along with this, engineering, technical and logistics services of the US government and contractors are also proposed.
Why does America want to give these weapons to Saudi Arabia?
The US State Department says that this possible sale will strengthen the security of Saudi Arabia and promote political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region. According to America, this will improve Saudi Arabia's ability to deal with current and future regional challenges. The department said that this will increase Saudi Arabia's ability to defend its land and develop better coordination capability of its military systems with the forces of the US and allied countries in the Gulf region.
Will this deal change the military balance in the region?
According to US assessments, the proposed transaction will not lead to any change in the regional military balance. America also says that Saudi Arabia will be able to easily include these weapons and services in its military system. The prime contractor for this potential sale will be Boeing, which is headquartered in Virginia. The US government said that it is not currently aware of any offset agreement with this deal.
Is this arms deal also related to the tension in West Asia?
This possible arms deal has come to light at a time when concerns have increased regarding the security situation in West Asia. The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran in the region, attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and the activities of Yemen's Houthi rebels have raised concerns about the security of the Gulf region. In such an environment, Saudi Arabia wants to strengthen its ability to protect its land and critical infrastructure from possible air and missile threats.
Are the relations between America and Saudi Arabia limited only to defense?
Recent cooperation between the US and Saudi Arabia is not limited to the defense sector. More than a month ago, both the countries had also signed agreements for peaceful nuclear cooperation. The Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman. This is commonly called the '123 Agreement'. Along with this, an agreement related to bilateral security measures was also signed.
According to the US Department of Energy, the 123 agreement could give American companies greater access to Saudi Arabia's emerging civil nuclear energy program. Along with this, it has also been said to benefit American industry, workers and supply chain. Both agreements lay the groundwork for enhanced strategic cooperation between the US and Saudi Arabia to strengthen nuclear security, safety standards, and non-proliferation.
Do arms and nuclear deals show a new direction for relations?
Recent approval of potential arms sales and nuclear cooperation agreements demonstrate the broad scope of the US-Saudi strategic relationship. Cooperation between the two countries extends to defence, energy security and civil nuclear sectors. Amidst the changing regional security environment, this partnership between Washington and Riyadh may become more important in the future.