US Approves Over $16.5B Arms Sales to UAE, Kuwait, Jordan

The United States approved more than $16.5 billion in arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Jordan on Thursday, as regional tensions with Iran escalate into open conflict. The State Department notified Congress of the deals, which include advanced radar systems, missiles, drones, and munitions, citing an emergency need to bolster the defensive capabilities of these key allies.

The largest portion of the package, valued at over $8 billion, goes to the United Arab Emirates. It encompasses long-range discrimination radars for tracking ballistic missile threats, systems designed to counter small unmanned aircraft, advanced air-to-air missiles, and munitions and upgrades for F-16 fighter jets. A separate $4.5 billion component includes the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, along with related radar technology capable of detecting threats from long distances, such as ballistic missiles and drones. The UAE will also receive five years of training, technical assistance, and maintenance to ensure operational efficiency.

Kuwait secured approval for $8 billion in lower-tier air and missile defense sensor radars, which track high-speed targets and integrate...