The State Department has approved a possible $3.1 billion deal with Japan for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWAC) aircraft.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential foreign military sale on Friday.

Japan has requested the sale of up to nine E-2D AHE aircraft to improve its homeland defense utilizing AEWAC capabilities. Northrop Grumman [NOC] makes the E-2D AHE aircraft.

“Japan is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific, and is a key partner of the United States in ensuring peace and stability in that region.  It is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability,” the DSCA said in a statement.

Under the deal, Japan would also receive 28 T56-A-427A engines, 12 Multifunction Information Distribution System/Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS/JTRS) terminals, 10 APY-9 Radars, 11 AN/AYK-27 Integrated Navigation Control and Display Systems (INCDS), 30 LN-251 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGIs) with Embedded Airborne Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) Receivers, and 12 AN/ALQ-217 Electronic Support Measures (ESMs).