The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) of Stinger surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 22 December 2023.
The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 780 M (EUR 712 M), has been passed to the US Congress for final approval.
The NSPA, as ‘lead nation’ on behalf of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, has requested to buy 940 FIM-92K Stinger Block I missiles. Also included are battery coolant units; metal containers; US government and contractor production, technical, and engineering assistance; and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
The armed forces of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are already operators of the Stinger SAM.
“The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands: three NATO Allies,” the DSCA stated in its notification. “The proposed sale will improve the air defense capabilities of these three NATO Allies. They will use the system to defend their territorial integrity and to promote regional stability. The proposed sale supports NATO’s goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as improving interoperability with US and NATO forces.”
The prime contractors for the work will be Raytheon, out of its facilities in Tucson, Arizona, and Lockheed Martin, out of its site in Syracuse, New York.
