The State Department has approved a potential $176 million deal with Bahrain to upgrade nine of the country’s M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS).
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on Thursday of the foreign military sale.
The upgrades for the Lockheed Martin [LMT]-built M270 rocket launchers will include improvements such as the Common Fire Control System, Improved Launcher Mechanical System, engine modifications, an improved electronics distribution box and the Digital Communication Systems.
“The proposed sale will improve Bahrain’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing Bahrain’s ability to defend itself against regional malign actors and improve interoperability with systems operated by U.S. forces and other Gulf countries. Bahrain’s continued investment in its defensive capabilities is crucial to protecting its borders, energy infrastructure, and its residents, including over 15,000 U.S. citizens and Naval personnel living and working in the country,” the DSCA wrote in a statement.