The State Department approved a possible $140 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to Chile for Evolved Seasparrow Missiles (ESSMs), equipment, training, and support.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on July 1.

An Evolved Seasparrow Missile is launched from the  USS Carl Vinson.  Photo: U.S. Navy.
An Evolved Seasparrow Missile is launched from the USS Carl Vinson. Photo: U.S. Navy.

The possible sale includes major defense equipment (MDE) of 33 Evolved Seasparrow Missiles (ESSM); six Evolved Seasparrow Telemetry Missiles; and three MK 41 Vertical Launching Systems (VLS), tactical version, baseline VII. The MDE portion of the sale is worth about $73 million.

Non-MDE equipment from the sale includes 10 MK25 Quad Pack Canisters, five ESSM Shipping Containers, five MK-73 Continuous Wave Illumination Transmitters, one Inertial Missile Initializer Power Supply (IMIPS), spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, and personnel training,

The sale also includes U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services, technical assistance, installation and integration oversight support, logistics, program management, packaging, and transportation.

The prime contractors for the sale are Raytheon [RTN], BAE Systems, and Lockheed Martin [LMT].

Chile would use this equipment to upgrade the air defense capabilities of its type 23 frigates, which would contribute to regional security and promote interoperability with U.S. forces, DSCA said.

“The proposed sale improves Chile’s capability to deter regional threats and strengthen its homeland defense,” the agency added in a statement.

Implementation of the sale would not require the assignment of any additional U.S. government or contractor representatives to Chile.