
The State Department has approved a possible $5.62 billion deal with the Czech Republic for 24 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and munitions. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on Thursday of the new foreign military sale. The approval of the deal follows the Czech defense ministry’s announcement last July it had selected the Lockheed Martin [LMT]-built F-35 to replace its current fleet of Saab’s Gripen fighter jets. “Our decision to select this option is based on the analysis…