The State Department has approved Qatar’s foreign military sale request for MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft, or RPA, and related equipment worth an estimated $1.96 billion.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Wednesday General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Boeing, L3Harris, Leonardo S.p.A., Lockheed Martin and RTX will be the principal contractors for the potential deal.
Under the proposed sale, Qatar requested to purchase eight MQ-9B RPAs, 200 KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits for Guided Bomb Unit-38 or Laser JDAM GBU-54, 300 BLU-111 500-lb general purpose bombs, 100 MXU-650 air foil groups and 100 MAU-169 computer control groups (CCG) for Paveway II GBU-12, 28 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System security devices with M-Code, 12 EGI security devices with selective availability anti-spoofing modules, 10 Lynx AN/APY-8 synthetic aperture radars, 10 L3 Rio Grande communications intelligence sensor suites, 110 AGM-114R2 Hellfire II missiles and eight M36E9 Hellfire Captive Air Training missiles.
The proposed deal also covers the following non-MDE items:
- Honeywell TPE-331 turboprop engines
- Certifiable Ground Control Stations
- FMU-139D/B fuze systems
- DSU-38 laser illuminated target detectors for GBU-54
- KY-100M narrowband/wideband terminals
- AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders
- Keying Identification Verification-77 Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe cryptographic appliques
- Intrusion Prevention System-250X High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor Type 1 cryptographic communications security devices
- Cryptographic Core Modernization-700A Type 1 COMSEC chips
- AN/DPX-7 IFF transponders
- Link-16 KOR-24A Small Tactical Terminals
- Semi-Automatic Ground Environment Electronic Surveillance Measure systems
- AE-4500 Electronic Support Measure
- Compact Multi-band Data Link
- Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver 6Si compatible systems
- Common Munitions Built-in-Test Reprogramming Equipment Plus Block II
- Mayflower Multi-Platform Anti-Jam GPS Navigation Antennas-I, AS-4841
- Imaging systems
- Electro-Optical/Infrared Multi-Spectrum Targeting System
- Active Electronically Scanned Array radars
- Due Regard Radar
- Automatic Information System transponders
- Rohde & Schwartz Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency radios
- Satellite communications ground station antennas, modems, and terminals with Unifi Security Gateway encryption
- Ku-Band SATCOM GA-ASI Transportable Earth Stations
- Secure SATCOM systems
- DSU-33D/B bomb components
- M299 Longbow Hellfire launchers
In addition, Qatar plans to procure weapons loading equipment, spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories. The FMS also includes support services for repair, return, weapons integration, test equipment, facilities, construction, publications, technical documentation, personnel training and equipment, transportation, airlift support, studies, surveys and U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics along with other support services logistics and program support elements.
Qatar aims to strengthen its national defense by enhancing its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and target acquisition capabilities and its counter-land and counter-surface sea defense.
Congress received the official notification of the proposed sale from the DSCA Wednesday.
