US, Saudi Arabia In Talks Over Arms Sales Worth Tens Of Billions
MEP: The US and Saudi Arabia have reportedly intensified negotiations over arms deals potentially worth tens of billions of dollars. The purported agreement looks to go beyond or make major shifts from the Obama administration.
The report comes ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to the kingdom this month, people familiar with the talks told Reuters this week.
Saudi Arabia is Trump’s first stop on his maiden international trip, a sign of his intent to reinforce ties with a top regional ally.
More than $1bn worth of munitions including armour-piercing Penetrator Warheads and Paveway laser-guided bombs made by Raytheon are among the contracts being negotiated, said Reuters.
The Obama administration had suspended the planned Raytheon sale because of concerns over civilian casualties in the Saudi aggression in Yemen.
The countries have also been negotiating over a C2BMC software system and a package of satellite capabilities, also provided by Lockheed. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle and M109 artillery vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems PLC could also be included in the package, sources told Reuters.
The arms sales deal could also contain contracts that have been under discussion for years but was never finalized. One of the newly negotiated contracts was previously approved by the State Department in 2015, and includes four multi-mission surface combat ships costing $11.5 billion.
If the deal is sealed, it would be the first time the US has sold a new small surface warship to a foreign country in decades.
One of the people with knowledge of the sales said that as planning for Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia intensified in recent weeks, the arms negotiations also accelerated. Two U.S. officials said a U.S.-Saudi working group met at the White House Monday and Tuesday to negotiate the trip, as well as financing for military equipment sales and stopping terrorist financing.
Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir and other Saudi officials met with lawmakers at the Capitol on Thursday, including Senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin on the foreign relations committee.
The Pentagon declined to comment. White House and State Department officials said it was U.S. policy not to comment on proposed U.S. defense sales until they had been formally notified to Congress.
