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yesterday

U.S. Notifies Congress of $5 Billion JDAM‑ER Sale to Saudi Arabia

The notification opens a 30-day congressional review to consider U.S. support for Riyadh as it rebuilds precision-munitions stocks strained by the Israel–Iran conflict.

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File photo: The proposed US arms package for Saudi Arabia includes more than 10,000 JDAM guidance kits and 10,000 general-purpose bombs. | Pic courtesy: White House
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Overview

  • The State Department on Friday transmitted Transmittal #26-35 notifying Congress of a possible $5.0 billion Foreign Military Sale for JDAM‑ER kits and bombs, with Boeing named as the principal contractor.
  • The notice specifies 5,004 KMU-572 kits, 5,000 KMU-556 kits, 5,004 BLU-111 500‑lb bombs and 5,000 BLU-117 2,000‑lb bombs plus fuzes, target detectors, spare parts and contractor logistics support.
  • The JDAM‑ER kit adds a pop-out wing that increases glide range from roughly 15 miles to more than 45 miles, allowing aircraft to release weapons at greater stand-off distances from targets.
  • The State Department said the sale would not harm U.S. defense readiness or change the regional military balance, and the notification begins a statutory 30-day review during which Congress can object.
  • The package is part of a broader set of roughly $6.1 billion in Middle East notifications that also include a $750 million Honeywell engine sale to Saudi Arabia, F-16 sustainment for Oman and Bell 412EPX helicopters for Iraq, and it is likely to draw close congressional scrutiny given past controversy over Saudi use of U.S. munitions.