The United States has approved a $3.5 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia [2, 3, 4]. The U.S. State Department has notified Congress of the approval [2]. The sale includes 1,000 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and 50 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections [2, 6, 7].
The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated that the sale supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives [4, 6, 7]. It also improves the security of a partner country vital for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region [4, 6, 7]. The principal contractor will be RTX Corporation, located in Tucson, AZ [2, 6, 7].
The AIM-120C-8 missile is the most modern version of the AMRAAM series, designed for engagements beyond visual range [8]. It has an estimated range exceeding 160 kilometers and features a two-way data link for in-flight updates, an upgraded active radar seeker and improved kinematics for greater maneuverability [2, 8].
This article is based on our author's analysis of materials taken from the following resources: www.military.com, www.dsca.mil and AP News.