The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) it oversees reached $34.8 billion in Fiscal Year 2011, surpassing the $30 billion mark for the fourth consecutive year.
Sales under the government-to-government FMS program were $28.3 billion, while sales executed by non-FMS cases managed under various security cooperation authorities were $6.5 billion, the agency said in a statement.
The sales include cases signed by both the United States and foreign partners through Sept. 30, 2011.
The top FMS customer for FY 2011 were the Afghan Security Forces at $5.4 billion.
Rounding out the top 10 customers were the Taiwan at $4.9 billion; India $4.5 billion; Australia $3.9 billion; Saudi Arabia $3.5 billion; Iraq $2.0 billion; the United Arab Emirates $1.5 billion; Israel $1.4 billion; Japan $500 million; and Sweden at $500 million.
DSCA forecasts FMS sales will continue to hover around $30 billion for FY 2012, but official projections are still being calculated.
DSCA said FMS and other security cooperation programs support U.S. national defense and foreign policy by helping partner nations acquire the defense articles, services, and training they need to provide for their own defense and to be interoperable with the United States and others during coalition operations.