US approves $500 million sale for Saudi Arabia’s combat vehicle upkeep

MILAN — The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale to replenish Saudi Arabia’s stocks of spare and repair parts for the country’s fleet of combat vehicles, at an estimated price tag of $500 million.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales for the United States, announced Sept. 21 that a possible foreign military sale to that effect is pending, though the notice to Congress doesn’t mean a contract is set in stone.

The Gulf country requested to purchase repair parts to sustain the Royal Saudi Land Forces fleet of Abram and M60 tanks; Bradley fighting vehicles; mortar carriers; mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles; light armored vehicles; howitzers; night vision devices; radar sets; and more.

The proposed sale would be carried out through the existing Cooperative Logistics Supply Support Arrangement program, in which Saudi Arabia has participated since 1965.

Listed repair parts would be withdrawn from the U.S. Defense Department’s supply system, although the DSCA said this would have no adverse impact on the United States’ defense readiness.

This transaction is said to support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by supporting a strategic partner’s self-defense and promoting stability in the Middle East.

In 2016, Riyadh requested to buy up to 153 M1A1/A2 tanks for conversion to 133 M1A2S Saudi Abrams-configured main battle tanks as part of a $1.2 billion deal. At the time, a Pentagon announcement stated that 20 of these were being newly purchased as battle damage replacements for the country’s existing fleet.

The Saudi military is believed to have lost the Abrams tanks in Yemen while fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebel forces.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

米兰——美国国务院已批准一项可能的军售，以补充沙特阿拉伯作战车辆的备件和维修零件库存，预计价格为 5 亿美元。

负责美国对外武器销售的国防安全合作局于9月21日宣布，一项可能涉及对外军售的协议正在酝酿之中，但向国会发出的通知并不意味着合同已经最终敲定。

这个海湾国家请求购买维修零件，以维持沙特皇家陆军的艾布拉姆斯坦克和M60坦克；布雷德利战车；迫击炮运载车；防地雷、防伏击车辆；轻型装甲车；榴弹炮；夜视设备；雷达装置等装备的正常运转。

拟议的销售将通过现有的合作物流供应支持安排计划进行，沙特阿拉伯自 1965 年以来一直参与该计划。

列出的维修零件将从美国国防部的供应系统中撤出，但美国国防安全合作局表示，这不会对美国的国防战备产生不利影响。

据称，此次交易通过支持战略伙伴的自卫和促进中东地区的稳定，支持了美国的外交政策和国家安全目标。

2016年，利雅得提出购买至多153辆M1A1/A2坦克，并将其改装为133辆M1A2S沙特版艾布拉姆斯主战坦克，交易金额达12亿美元。当时，五角大楼宣布，其中20辆是新购入的，用于替换该国现有坦克中受损的车辆。

据信，沙特军方在也门与伊朗支持的胡塞武装作战时损失了艾布拉姆斯坦克。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。