Afghanistan requests US weapons
The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale (FMS) for individual and crew served weapons, equipment, training, and support to Afghanistan at a cost of $60 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 18 August.
Afghanistan has requested 4,891 M16A4 5.56mm rifles; 485 M240B 7.62mm machine guns; and 800 M2 .50 calibre machine guns. The request also includes M3 tripod machine gun mounts; MK-93 40mm machine gun mounts; MK-19 40mm grenade launchers; M110 7.62mm sniper rifles; and M249 light automatic machine guns.
Spares, training and support equipment and services are also included in the request.
The Afghanistan National Army (ANA) will use the equipment and weapons in ongoing offensive and defensive counter-insurgency operations.
Is the sale goes ahead FN America will be the principal contractor for the M240B machine guns. The principal contractors for M2, M16A4 and other weapons will be determined in open competitions.
While equipment for the ANA is typically purchased with Title 10 Afghanistan Security Forces Fund appropriations and implemented by DSCA through pseudo-FMS cases, Afghanistan will use US government grants to fund and support this proposed purchase.
More from Land Warfare
-
Lockheed nets $4.9 billion US Army contract to build more precision strike missiles
The PrSM missiles, known as Increment 1 weapon systems, will eventually replace the US Army’s Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
-
Avalon 2025: Hanwha signs engine deal with Penske for Redback IFVs
Penske Australia will also carry out local assembly and testing of Allison X1100 series cross-drive transmission under licence using kits supplied by South Korea's SNT Dynamics.
-
Ovzon trials UGV comms in Arctic conditions
Swedish company showcases Arctic UGV test as it eyes NATO defence market expansion.
-
US Army Project Convergence to evaluate CJADC2 in the Indo-Pacific theatre
As part of its experimentation campaign, the service will assess CJADC2 concepts and capabilities in challenging environments.
-
Avalon 2025: Hanwha outlines tight schedule for Redback deliveries
The Hanwha Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) is a A$225 million (US$142 million) factory being built beside Avalon Airport near Melbourne, Australia, despite a substantial drop in the number of vehicles originally planned to be produced.