The State Department approved a possible $60 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to Afghanistan for individual and crew served weapons, equipment, training, and support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on August 17.
The major defense equipment (MDE) portion of the sale would include 4,891 M16A4 5.56mm Rifles, 485 M240B 7.62mm Machine Guns, and 800 M2 .50 caliber Machine Guns.
Non MDE in the FMS includes M249 Light Automatic Machine Guns; M110 7.62mm Sniper Rifles; MK-19 40mm Grenade Launchers; MK-93 40mm Machine Gun Mounts; M3 Tripod Machine Gun Mounts; Spare Barrels; spare and repair parts; lot validation; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; Quality Assurance Team; U.S. government and contractor technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The primary contractor for the M240B portion of the sale is FN America while principal contractors for the M16A4, M2, and other weapons were not yet identified at disclosure time and will be identified pending open competition and contract award. DSCA noted some items may be drawn from U.S. Army stocks to meet desired delivery dates.
The Afghanistan National Army (ANA) would use these weapons and equipment in defensive and offensive operations against insurgents and terrorists within the country’s borders and requires the materials to have the military capabilities necessary to maintain security, DSCA said.
The agency highlighted that “Afghanistan has an urgent requirement to increase its stocks of crew-served weapons for ongoing counter-insurgency operations and enduring threats to its national sovereignty. These articles were determined to be necessary and are based on Afghanistan’s force structure and operational requirements.”
DSCA also said the sale demonstrates the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan’s security, with a secure Afghanistan being vital to regional stability.
Although equipment directed to the ANA is usually purchased using Title 10 Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF) appropriations and implemented by DSCA through pseudo-FMS cases, Afghanistan will use U.S. grants to fund and support this proposed sale, the agency said.
Implementation of the sale would require the assignment of about eight additional U.S. government and approximately six contractor representatives to Afghanistan for approximately 5-6 weeks to support this equipment’s fielding, maintenance and personnel training.