The State Department plans to approve a proposed $220 million direct sale of General Atomics-built Predator XP surveillance drones and related equipment to the United Arab Emirates, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
Anthony Capaccio writes that this will be the first sale of unmanned aircraft to a non-NATO member if the deal moves forward.
The report said the UAE order includes eight unarmed Predator drones and equipment such as electro-optical and infrared sensors.
The State Department sent its notification of the deal’s pending approval to the Senate and House foreign relations committees earlier this month after the U.S. modified its policy on the sale of unarmed and armed drones, Capaccio reports.
Capaccio writes that the UAE has previously bought two other General Atomics defense systems as well as Lockheed Martin‘s (NYSE: LMT) Block 60 F-16 fighter jets.
The country could use the Predator XP, which is also equipped with a wide-area maritime radar, to support patrol operations at the Persian Gulf, the report said.
