Overview
- The State Department, which announced the deals Friday, approved more than $8.6 billion in weapons for Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
- Qatar is cleared to spend about $4.01 billion to replenish Patriot air and missile defense interceptors, plus $992.4 million for APKWS guided rockets.
- Kuwait is approved for a $2.5 billion Integrated Battle Command System, while Israel and the UAE will receive APKWS kits that turn standard rockets into laser-guided munitions.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio used Section 36(b) emergency powers to waive the usual congressional review, marking the third such fast-track since the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran began on Feb. 28.
- The State Department named BAE Systems for APKWS and RTX, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman for the Patriot and Kuwaiti systems, as critics in Congress objected and officials warned that low stockpiles and slow production could delay deliveries.