US approves $700 million arms sale for Switzerland, Belgium, and Lithuania

Europe, News, US November 21, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. State Department approved a $700 million arms sale for the European countries of Belgium, Switzerland, and Lithuania. The deal has been approved under foreign military sales.

Switzerland, a traditionally neutral European nation, has become more active in acquiring and upgrading its military capabilities, especially amid the rising security concerns in Europe.

Switzerland would acquire up to 72 Raytheon-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, a technology that the U.S. Department of Defense has been very choosy to sell. Turkey was denied to acquire the U.S.-made Patriot missile after which it led to making a deal with Russia to acquire the S-400 missile system. A move that widened the rift between U.S. and Turkey and eventually led to Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program.

According to the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Patriot missile system would improve Switzerland’s air defense as it is “used to defend the country’s territorial integrity.”

Since 2018, the Swiss government has set a goal of acquiring aircraft and ground-based missiles for more than $8 billion, a decision that even faced internal opposition from country’s political leadership. The Patriot missiles were among the weapons on its shortlist.

DSCA also announced in a statement last week that the State Department has approved $495 million and $380 million in possible foreign military sales for Lithuania and Belgium, respectively. Lithuania got the approval to acquire Lockheed Martin’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, 36 Guided Multiple Rocket Launch System (GMRLS) alternative warhead missile pods, and other related logistical support equipment. The DSCA statement highlighted that these weapons would support Lithuanian defense against possibly mounting Russian aggression in the region.

*^{PAC-3 Missile infograph. (Image Credit: Lockheed Martin)}*

Belgium, on the other hand, received approval to purchase 120 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, 10 AMRAAM C-8 guidance sections, and other logistical support equipment related to the weapons. Belgium plans to use the missiles to maintain its F-16 and F-35 fleets at combat-ready status.

With Russian aggression in Ukraine, European nations have started to upgrade their military capabilities and defense postures. Amid the wave of military modernization, many of the fellow NATO and non-NATO allies are looking up to the leading defense manufacturers such as U.S., Germany, and France to provide them with modern weapons defense systems.

Rising security concerns and the race for military modernization are not limited to the European states. Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department approved more than $6 billion worth of foreign military sales to Australia as it plans to buy U.S. nuclear-capable bombers. Canberra was approved to purchase 24 Lockheed Martin-made C-130J-30 Super Hercules airlifters at an estimated cost of more than $6.3 billion.