US announces new arms sales to Netherlands

The United States on Tuesday announced to sell to the Netherlands the F-16 Training Unit and M1156 Precision Guided Kits (PGK).

According to a statement of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the State Department approved the sales to the Netherlands of defense articles and services to support its Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 Formal Training Unit for an estimated cost of 110 million US dollars.

The Dutch government has requested to buy 27 GBU-12 Inert Paveway IIs and PGU-27 Inert training rounds, Impulse Cartridges, MJU-7/B Flares, RR-188 Chaff, BDU-33/B and BDU-50/B training munitions, fuel and air refueling support, airlift services and base operating support, among others.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally, the statement read.

It added that this potential sale will improve the Royal Netherlands Air Force's ability to develop mission-ready and experienced pilots to support its F-16 aircraft inventory, and to continue contributions to NATO air policing operations, as well as, to possible future coalitions operations.

The Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing this training.

Also on Tuesday, the State Department greenlighted to sell the Netherlands 3,500 M1156 Precision Guided Kits for an estimated cost of 70 million US dollars.

"The Netherlands has been a consistent coalition partner supporting the United States in various coalition combat operations to include counter-ISIS, Stabilization Force in Iraq, and Afghanistan," said the statement.

The proposed sale of PGK will provide a precision guided capability to 155mm artillery projectiles and improve the Netherlands' capability to meet current and future enemy threats, said the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.