The United States unveiled plans Friday to sell $10 billion worth of
advanced missiles and aircraft to Israel, the United Arab Emirates and
Saudi Arabia in a bid to counter the threat posed by Iran.
It was
highly unusual for the Pentagon to announce an arms deal covering three
countries and the move seemed to be designed to send a warning to Iran
that Washington's partners in the region were beefing up their military
power.
But officials insisted the arms package did not reflect any shift in US policy on Iran.
The
elaborate deal would provide Israel with anti-radiation missiles
designed to take out enemy air defenses, radar for fighter jets, aerial
refueling tankers and Osprey V-22 tilt-rotor transport aircraft, defense
officials told reporters.
Israel would be the first foreign
country to be allowed to buy the US military's Osprey, which can take
off and land like a helicopter but fly with the speed of a plane,
officials said.
The deal "not only sustains but augments Israel's
qualitative military edge," said a senior defense official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity.
Under the package, which is still being
finalized, the US government will sell 26 F-16 fighter jets to the
United Arab Emirates as well as sophisticated missiles for the
warplanes, which officials would not specify.
The UAE part of the arms deal comes to nearly $5 billion, officials said.
Saudi
Arabia, which had already agreed to buy 84 F-15 fighters in 2010, would
purchase the same advanced missiles provided to the United Arab
Emirates, allowing Saudi fighters to strike ground targets at a safe
distance.
Pentagon officials unveiled the deal a day before
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's departure on a week-long trip to the
region, with stops in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United
Arab Emirates.
Bolstering Israel's air power with crucial mid-air
refueling tankers and missiles is sure to fuel speculation that
Washington could be helping Israel to prepare for a preemptive strike
against Iran.
But officials said it would be months or more for
the weapons and aircraft to be delivered. They also insisted the
hardware could be used for a variety of missions and was not intended to
address a particular country or specific threat.
"This doesn't signal a change in US policy towards Iran," said the defense official.
But
the UAE and the Saudi leadership are deeply concerned over Iran's
nuclear and missile programs while Israel has said it may be forced to
take preemptive military action if it believes Iran is close to having
an atomic bomb.
The arms sales followed months of intense "shuttle
diplomacy" by the Pentagon among the three countries, officials said,
with the Americans seeking to boost the capabilities of Arab allies
while maintaining a longstanding US commitment to ensure Israel enjoys
military superiority in the region.
"This is one of the most complex and carefully orchestrated arms packages in American history," said the defense official.
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