The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Bahrain of M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.2 billion.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on Tuesday 19 March 20224.
The Government of Bahrain has requested to buy fifty (50) M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks; four (4) M88A2 HERCULES Combat Recovery Vehicles; eight (8) M1110 Joint Assault Bridges; eight (8) M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles; eight (8) Heavy Assault Scissor Bridge (HASB); one hundred (100) M240 Coaxial 7.62mm machine guns; three (3) AGT1500 Gas Turbine engines; six thousand (6,000) 120mm M1002 Target Practice Multipurpose Tracer (TPMP-T) projectiles; and five thousand seven hundred sixty (5,760) 120mm M1147 High Explosive Multipurpose Tracers.
Also included are M2A1 .50 caliber machine guns; Common Remote Operated Weapons Station Low Profile (CROWS-LP); Forward Repair System; M250 smoke grenade launchers; service and training ammunition; M1300/M1302 Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transporter System (EHETS); M978A4 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) tanker and Load Handling System (LHS); M074A1 Palletized Load Systems and trailers and flat racks; support and test equipment; integration and test support; spare and repair parts; Special Tools and Test Equipment (STTE); communications equipment; Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM)-based Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers; software delivery and support; Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment; publications and technical manuals; maintenance trainers; training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; Next Generation Automatic Test System (NGATS); and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $2.2 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.
The proposed sale will improve Bahrain’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that can deter adversaries and provide the capability to participate in regional operations with the United States and other U.S. partner nations. Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractors will be General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan; BAE Systems, York, Pennsylvania; Leonardo DRS, Arlington, Virginia; Honeywell Aerospace, Phoenix, Arizona; RTX Corporation, McKinney, Texas; and Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Florida. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of one (1) U.S. Government and thirty (30) U.S. contractor representatives to travel to Bahrain for a duration of up to five years to support equipment fielding and training.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.
Source: Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA); File Photo: M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Tank © General Dynamics Land Systems
