The State Department approved a possible $30 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to France for hundreds of additional Hellfire missiles and associated equipment, training, and support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on April 29.
France previously requested a sale of $42 million in various Hellfire missiles and associated equipment and support. Of that request, it has received 112 AGM-114K1A Hellfire Missiles, 102 AGM-114N1A Hellfire Missiles, 50 ATM-114Q1A Hellfire Training Missiles, Hellfire Missile conversion kits, blast fragmentation sleeves and installation kits, containers, and transportation through a congressional threshold-level FMS case, FR-B-WAA.
Photo: Lockheed Martin
France now requests the existing FMS case be amended with the potential additional sale of 200 AGM-114K1A Hellfire missiles, Hellfire missile conversion, blast fragmentation sleeves and installation kits, containers, and transportation. The cost of this additional amended major defense equipment (MDE) is $25 million. The MDE plus associated equipment and support totals $30 million.
The amendment France requested raises the value of FR-B-WAA over the congressional notification threshold so DSCA notified and posted what will be the total quantities and value of the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the proposed amendment. The new estimated cost of all MDE is $45 million and the total estimated cost is $72 million.
France previously requested MDE of 112 AGM-114K1A Hellfire missiles, 102 AGM-114N1A Hellfire Missiles, and 50 ATM-114Q1A Hellfire Training Missiles. The value of that amount of MDE was $20 million.
Non-MDE in the previous request included four Hellfire Missile Mock-Up Sectional Models, four Hellfire II AGM-114N Warhead Mock-Ups, 30 Hellfire M36-E4 Training Missiles, 60 Hellfire M60 Dummy Missiles, M299 Launcher Spare Parts (O and I Level), Hellfire Missile Spare Parts (O and I Level), M36-E4 Training Missile Spare Parts (O and I Level), Integrated Logistics Support Hardware Equipment, training, and U.S. government technical assistance.
Additional non-MDE in the original FMS request comprises 100 Dome Covers, three Hellfire AGM-114K1A Warhead Sections, three Hellfire AGM-114N1 Warhead Sections, 30 LSS Simulators, three AN-205Bs, 44 IRIS, three Calibration Cables, AN-205B Test Equipment Spare Parts, AGM-114N1 Warheads without Electronic Safe, Arm and Fire Device, 13 AGM-114K1A Main Warheads with No Control Interface Group, 13 AGM-114K1A Precursors, Hellfire Tripod Launcher with Launch Control without Laser, Technical Data Documentation, Publications, Repair and Return Services, Classified Technical Data Package, Unanticipated and Unprogrammed Requirements, sixteen Hellfire II AGM-114K1A Missile Sleeves, Hellfire M60 Dummy Missile Spare Parts, 60 M34 Hellfire Training Missile, and Conversion Services for M34 Dummy Missiles.
There is no prime contractor for the sale because the missiles and equipment is coming from U.S. Army stock. There are no known offset agreements connected to the sale.
France would use the additional missiles to meet its operational requirements for a precision guided tactical missile for its Tiger Attack Helicopter. The FMS would also “directly support French forces actively engaged in operations in Mali and Northern Africa, providing them the capability to successfully engage targets with minimal collateral damage,” DSCA said in a statement.
The agency highlighted the sale is vital to U.S. interests in helping France develop and maintain a strong self-defense capability.
Implementation of the FMS would not require any additional U.S. government and contractor representatives to be posted to France.