US State Department approves USD 80 mln sale of Javelin missiles to Romania

The US State Department approved a possible sale of Javelin missiles and related equipment to the Romanian government for an estimated cost of USD 80 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced. It also said it notified Congress of this possible sale on December 12.

Romania aims to buy 263 Javelin FGM-148F missiles and 26 Javelin Light Weight Command Launch Units. In addition, the deal also includes enhanced producibility basic skills trainers, missile simulation rounds, Security Assistance Management Directorate (SAMD) technical assistance, Tactical Air Ground Missiles (TAGM) Project Office technical assistance, other associated equipment and services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

The prime contractors will be Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture of Orlando, FL and Tucson, AZ.

The proposed sale “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO Ally, which is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe,” the same source said.

It will also “improve Romania’s capability to meet current and future threats by building its long-term defense capacity in line with its national defense requirements.”

About a month ago, the US State Department also approved a potential sale of M1A2 Abrams tanks and related equipment to the Romanian government for an estimated cost of USD 2.53 billion.

(Photo source:Michal Bednarek | Dreamstime.com)