The State Department has signed off on the sale of air-to-air missiles to
Germany, in a deal worth an estimated $2.9 billion.
Berlin would receive 969 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment, according to a Wednesday statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the
Pentagon arm that handles foreign
MILITARY sales and transfers. The agency, which has notified
Congress of the State Department’s approval, said the sale will boost U.S. national security and foreign policy “by improving the security of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe.” The release also notes that the agreement would improve Germany’s ability to “meet current and future threats by ensuring they have modern, capable air-to-air munitions.” The Biden administration has given the go-ahead for a number of major arms deals with European allies in the past month amid Russia’s war in
Ukraine, a country that neighbors several
NATO members. Among these agreements is a possible $605 million deal to sell 250 AMRAAMs to
Sweden, a country that is currently attempting to join the alliance. That sale was announced on July 7. That same day, the Pentagon also revealed an estimated $203 million agreement to sell
France Hellfire missiles. And on June 30, defense officials said the State Department had approved a potential $105 million deal to modernize 32 F-16 fighter jets for Romania. If Congress does not reject those potential sales, they will then enter negotiations in which the actual cost and quantities of equipment will be finalized.