WASHINGTON, January 31. /TASS/. The US State Department has approved a potential sale of over $5.7 billion worth of armored vehicles and helicopters to Israel, said the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency responsible for the supply of military equipment and weapons abroad under intergovernmental contracts.
It said in a statement that Israel has requested the purchase 30 Apache AH-64E combat helicopters, as well as various related equipment for them in the amount of $3.8 billion. According to another statement, Israel has also requested the purchase 3,250 JLTV multipurpose armored vehicles and related equipment from the United States for $1.98 billion.
Both deals were approved by the State Department, and the notifications have been sent to the US Congress.
The documents say the sale of weapons to Israel will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by strengthening the security of a strategic partner in the Middle East. The sale will not change the balance of power in the region. The Pentagon believes that the deals with Israel will not have a negative impact on the combat readiness of the American army.