F-16V Source: airforce-technology.com
The US Defense Cooperation Agency announced on Friday that The US State Department has approved arms sales packages worth more than $3.8 billion to Bahrain including F-16 jets, TOW missiles and patrol boats.
The arms sale includes a upgrade of F-16 Block 40 aircraft to F-16V configuration estimated at a total cost of $1.082 billion and 19 F-16V jets which could have a value of up to $2.785 billion.
Other proposed sales include two 35 meter patrol boats with machine guns ($60,25 million) and 221 anti-tank missiles – various modifications of TOWs ($27 million).
In May, US President Donald Trump said the US relations with Bahrain would improve, after meeting with the king of Bahrain during a visit to Saudi Arabia.
It’s interesting to note that the statement was followed by a large-scale diplomatic crisis between the Saudi-led block, including Bahrain, and Qatar in the Middle East.
