The US Department of State supported the planned sale of aircraft missiles to the armed forces of Great Britain and Denmark. The total value of contracts may be about 740 million dollars. Such information is reported by the US DSCA - a government agency dealing with defense cooperation and security. It is one of the divisions of the Pentagon.
Subject of agreements between countries
Raytheon Missile Systems Systems Company, specializing in the development and manufacture of missile weapons, will be responsible for implementing contracts with foreign customers. The main production facilities are located in Arizona. According to information from the US military, within the framework of the planned contracts, the UK will receive 200 AIM-120D model missiles - these are air-to-air ammunition, the range of the target’s average classification.
The cost of the deal with the UK defense department will be $ 650 million, and this is actually the total amount of expenses from the customer. According to the contract, the amount includes the cost of transporting weapons, maintenance, personnel training. As for Denmark, it acquires significantly fewer missiles - only 28 pieces. Models - similar to the British order. The armaments are designed for installation on F-16 and F-35 fighters, as well as for the newest modifications of the F-22.
New deals on the sale of American weapons
Expanding cooperation with Great Britain and Denmark is far from the only direction that the American authorities are interested in now. Recently, there have been reports in the media that the State Department has provided a similar permit regarding transactions with Spain. A European country will be able to purchase five Aegis anti-missile systems in the United States; the value of the contract may exceed $ 860 million.
In the State Department, the permission for the deal was explained by the fact that it is in the national interests of the United States. America is interested in the fact that Spain has a strong military potential and is always ready for self-defense. To provide support in this direction the United States considers it a vital task.
Currently, there are five frigates with anti-missile Aegis in the Spanish navy. A two-fold expansion in this segment will significantly improve the country's defense, improve the effectiveness of responding to regional threats. As follows from the news, we are talking about the supply of ship systems, but the Americans also supply land-based Aegis modifications abroad.
The last of the deals for the supply of Aegis Ashore missile defense systems outside the United States was concluded in May. Then the United States and Japan agreed to sell two missile defense systems, to be placed on the island of Honshu. The Japanese authorities believe that this will protect the entire territory of the country from a possible ballistic missile strike (Japan has repeatedly received such threats from the DPRK).
Missile defense systems for Poland
New contracts American military companies enter into with Eastern European countries. One of the largest agreements on missile weapons in the region is with Poland. According to the agreements reached, deliveries of Patriot anti-missile complexes for a total amount of $ 4.75 billion will be completed until 2022. The signing of the contract took place in a solemn atmosphere in Warsaw, with the participation of the top leadership of Poland and the US ambassador.
Polish authorities believe that thanks to new weapons, the country's army will be on par with the best armed forces in the world. The defense capability of Poland in the missile defense area will be provided for several decades, and during the operation of the equipment, measures are planned for its modernization. Until now, Poland did not have its own Patriot systems, and retrofitting will help unify air defense systems with a number of other NATO countries.
Over the past fiscal year, total sales of weapons from the United States approached $ 42 billion, with the Pentagon accounting for less than 10 billion. Most of the amount - contracts of American arms companies in the framework of the Foreign Military Sales program ($ 32 billion). Then the growth in sales was recorded at around 25 percent. In 2018, the United States continues to increase arms supplies, as well as enter into new long-term contracts (one of the largest with Saudi Arabia).
