WASHINGTON (JTA) – Israel is seeking to purchase almost 7,000 kits that will convert its unguided bombs into smart munitions, the Department of Defense announced.
Congress was notified Dec. 10 of this possible sale, approved by the Pentagon, which is estimated to cost $627 million. Announcement of the proposed sale is required by law.
Israel wants to buy 6,900 GPS-guided tail kits as well as 3,450 small diameter bombs, according to the Pentagon. The kits and small diameter bombs are made by Boeing and vary in size.
Another seven contractors stand to benefit from the sale.
“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” said a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Included in the request are parts for warheads, fuses and other spare and repair parts, support equipment and personnel training and tech support.
The approval comes following Israel’s recent conflict with Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza, which ended late last month. Israel used precision weaponry in its nearly 1,500 surgical strikes against targets in Gaza, according to Defense News.
