US State Department approves sale of Sniper targeting pods to Malaysia

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Malaysia of Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 6 May 2024.

The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 80 million (EUR 74 million), has been passed to the US Congress for final approval.

Malaysia has requested to buy 10 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATPs. The package also includes technical data and publications; personnel training; software and training equipment; US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and programme support.

The DSCA stated that the proposed sale “will improve Malaysia’s capability to meet current and future threats by modernising its current F/A-18D platform with a common targeting pod”, adding that the sale “will also mitigate future obsolescence concerns and allow the Royal Malaysian Air Force to meet future operational requirements”.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force operates a fleet of eight Boeing F/A-18D Hornet twin-seat fighters, which it received from 1997.

The principal contractor for the sale will be Lockheed Martin, which makes the Sniper ATP, out of its facilities in Orlando, Florida, and Boeing, as the platform supplier, out of its site in St Louis, Missouri.