Srinagar, Mar 20 — The United States has approved potential arms sales worth over $16.5 billion to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan, invoking an emergency provision to bypass Congressional review amid the ongoing war involving Iran.
The US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio “determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale,” waiving the requirement for Congressional approval.
The largest component of the package is an estimated $8 billion sale to Kuwait for lower-tier air and missile defence sensor radars designed to track high-speed threats and feed data into missile defence systems.
The United Arab Emirates accounts for more than $8.4 billion in approved sales, including a $4.5 billion long-range discrimination radar system to track ballistic missile threats. Additional approvals include $2.1 billion for counter-drone systems, $1.22 billion for advanced air-to-air missiles, and $644 million for F-16 munitions and upgrades.
Jordan was cleared to receive aircraft and munitions support worth approximately $70.5 million, according to the State Department.
The department said principal contractors for the deals include RTX Corporation, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The approvals come as Iran’s strikes on regional energy infrastructure, in response to Israeli attacks on its gas facilities, mark a major escalation in the nearly three-week conflict. The attacks have contributed to rising oil prices and volatility in global energy markets.