By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department has approved two potential foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia involving helicopter support and aviation training valued at a combined $1 billion, the Pentagon said Monday.
In two separate statements, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the proposed sales include a $500 million Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement (CLSSA) and a $500 million blanket order for aviation training.
The CLSSA case would allow Saudi Arabia to requisition US-managed spare parts and repairs for its fleet of US-made helicopters, including UH-60 Black Hawks, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, CH-47F Chinooks, Schweizer 333 aircraft and Aerial Scout helicopters.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that contributes to political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region,” the DSCA said.
A second approval covers US Army–provided training for Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Corps personnel, from “initial through advanced rotary-wing flight and maintainer training,” conducted on Apache, Chinook, Lakota and Black Hawk helicopters, according to the statement.
The approvals come amid Saudi Arabia’s request for purchasing F-35 fighter jets, with President Donald Trump saying last month that the US “will be selling” them to Riyadh.