US State Department approves arms sales worth $2.27B to Egypt, Kuwait, UAE

The US State Department has approved three possible foreign military sales to Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates with a combined estimated cost of about $2.27 billion.

The largest of the three is a possible sale to the UAE of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II guidance sections and related equipment at an estimated cost of $1.041 billion, the department said in a statement.

The UAE "has requested to buy up to ten thousand (10,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II guidance sections consisting of a combination of air-to-air and air-to-ground configurations," it added.

For Egypt, the department approved a possible sale of Javelin missile systems at an estimated cost of $832 million.

Cairo has requested to buy up to 2,020 Javelin FGM-148F missiles, including 20 fly-to-buy missiles, and up to 200 Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units, according to the notification.

For Kuwait, it approved a possible sale of Patriot missile repair and return services and related equipment at an estimated cost of $400 million.

The sale comes more than seven months into the Iran war, which began on Feb. 28 when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran.

Iran retaliated with attacks on US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

The US and Iran signed a framework agreement in June outlining immediate steps to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran's nuclear program, but it expired in August without a final deal.