The proposed $304 million sale would include 4,900 tail kits built by Boeing that turn unguided free-fall bombs into guided weapons and 4,300 "general purpose" bombs, the Defense Department said in a mandatory arms sale notice.
The deal would boost UAE's ability "to meet current and future regional threats" and to help deter aggression, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in the note to lawmakers.
The BLU-109 "Hard Target Penetrator" bomb, or bunker buster, is a 2,000-pound weapon designed to smash into buried enemy command posts, munitions depots and other hardened targets before using a delayed fuse to explode.
UAE operates Lockheed Martin Corp's F-16 "Block 60" fighter aircraft, the most advanced F-16 model flown.
Lawmakers have 30 days to accept or reject a foreign military sale after formal notification. None has been rejected to date after formal notification.
"The UAE government continues vital host-nation support of US Forces stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, plays an important role in supporting US regional interests, and has proven to be a valued partner in overseas operations," the notice to Congress said.
Source: Reuters
