U.S. approves sale of Lockheed F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain
The U.S. government has approved the long-stalled sale of fighter jets by Boeing and Lockheed Martin to Persian Gulf allies in deals valued at as much as $20 billion, according to people familiar with the decision.
The sales to Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait can go ahead unless they are rejected by the U.S. Congress. An “informal notification” sent to the House and Senate foreign affairs committees Wednesday begins an initial review that could last as long as 40 days, according to the officials, who asked not to be identified in advance of a formal announcement that will come later. That notice will trigger an official 30-day review.
Lockheed, which builds its F-16s in west Fort Worth, would be able to sell as many as 19 of its F-16s to Bahrain. The other potential sales include as many as 72 Boeing F-15 jets to Qatar and as many as 32 F/A-18 E/F fighters to Kuwait, according to one of the people.
The aircraft sales will deliver on pledges by President Barack Obama and the Pentagon to bolster the weaponry of Sunni-led nations in the Middle East. Those allies were left angry and uneasy after the U.S. agreed to a deal with their regional rival, Shiite-led Iran, to ease international economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.
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