US approves $4.5 billion sale of four KC-46A refuelling aircraft to Qatar amid US-Iran tensions
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US approves $4.5 billion sale of four KC-46A refuelling aircraft to Qatar amid US-Iran tensions")
US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft refuelling a US Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft during Operation Epic Fury Photograph: (AFP)
The US State Department has approved the sale of four KC-46A aerial refuelling aircraft and related equipment to Qatar in a $4.5 billion deal amid rising US-Iran tensions.
The US State Department has approved the sale of four KC-46A aerial refuelling aircraft and other related equipment to Qatar on Thursday. The deal is estimated to cost around $4.50 billion. According to the statement by the US State Department, the deal will “support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States" and improve Qatar's ability to counter "current and future threats" and enhance cooperation and interoperability with US forces and its allies.
"The proposed sale will increase Qatar’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its defence capabilities and interoperability with U.S. and allied forces and reinforcing Qatar’s strategic role in regional security. Qatar will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces," read the statement by the US State Department.
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The deal includes four KC-46A aircraft, eight PW4062 turbofan engines; 10 AN/ALR-69A radar warning receivers; 15 Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GTLA) for Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) systems; and eight LAIRCM system processor replacements. This will also include non-major defence logistics, technology, and support elements to ensure the fleet is fully operational, secure, and integrated into joint military networks. The principal contractors for this deal are Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, RTX Corporation, and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
This will likely allow Qatari forces to seamlessly refuel US CENTCOM assets. Qatar already has a modern and advanced air fleet including Boeing F-15QA Ababil fighters, Eurofighter Typhoons, and Dassault Rafales. Qatar's Al Udeid is the largest US military Air base in the West Asia region.
The deal comes amid escalating tension between the US and Iran. Both sides have reached an impasse in the negotiations, with a 60-day period negotiated in the Islamabad Memorandum has expired. This underlines why the US is prioritising the rapid reinforcement of Qatar’s defence capabilities and, mostly, the operational footprint and endurance of the US Air Force in the region.
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