U.S. To Sign Missile Deal With Qatar And Turkey

America's Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced the U.S. is considering a possible missile systems deal with Qatar and Turkey.



The DSCA noted it had informed Congress on the 21st of December of the possible foreign military sale to the two countries.



Qatar had ordered rocket and missile systems worth $406 million while Turkey had requested sales worth $140 million.



"The Government of Turkey has requested a possible sale of 117 AIM-9X-2 SIDEWINDER Block II All-UpRound Missiles, 6 AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, 6 Dummy Air Training Missiles, 130 LAU-129 Launchers, containers, missile support and test equipment, provisioning, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance and other related logistics support," a press release from the DSCA read.



The press release noted Turkey's intentions were in modernizing its fighter aircraft to better support its own air defence needs.



"Turkey is a partner of the United States in ensuring peace and stability in the region. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability that will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area," the release detailed.



The prime contractor in the Turkey agreement will be Raytheon Missile Systems Company in Tucson, Arizona.



Qatar had however requested the sale of a variety of rocket and missile systems including M31A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Unitary Rockets (60 pods, 6 rockets per pod)and 180 M28A2 Reduced Range Practice Rockets (30 pods, 6 rockets per pod).



"The proposed sale will improve Qatar's capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical infrastructure. It will also enhance Qatar's interoperability with the U.S. and its allies, making it a more valuable partner in an increasingly important area of the world," the release observed.



Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, Texas will be the prime contractor in the Qatar missile deal if passed.