U.S. Clears $2.7B Bomb Sale to Canada
The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Canada involving air strike weapons and related equipment with an estimated total cost of $2.68 billion.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of the required certification.
According to the DSCA release, the Government of Canada requested a broad package of precision-guided munitions and associated systems to enhance its air-to-ground strike capabilities. The proposed sale includes up to 3,108 GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I), 2,004 GBU-53 SDB-II bombs, and 5,352 KMU-572 JDAM guidance kits.
Additional requested items include:
750 inert GBU-39 practice bombs with fuzes
100 GBU-39 Guided Test Vehicles (GTVs)
220 BLU-117 2,000-lb general purpose bombs
146 I-2000 penetrator warheads
3,414 BLU-111 500-lb general purpose bombs
396 KMU-556 and 140 KMU-557 JDAM guidance sets
100 GBU-53 SDB-II Guided Test Vehicles
Canada also seeks a full suite of associated support elements, including FMU-139 and FMU-167 fuze systems, DSU-38 laser target detectors, practice bombs, test and training equipment, spare parts, software support, publications, and technical documentation. The sale includes U.S. government and contractor support for engineering, logistics, and maintenance, but no permanent deployment of personnel will be required.
The DSCA stated, “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the military capability of a NATO Ally that is an important force for ensuring political stability and economic progress.”
The agency also noted that Canada’s ability to integrate the equipment into its armed forces is not in question. “The proposed sale will improve Canada’s credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region, ensure interoperability with U.S. forces, and strengthen Canada’s ability to contribute to shared continental defense,” the release said.
The announcement confirms that the sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region and will not affect U.S. defense readiness. No offset agreements have been proposed at this stage, but any such arrangements will be defined in future negotiations between Canada and the contractors.
The principal contractors for this potential sale are The Boeing Company and RTX Corporation, both headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
In a standard disclaimer, the DSCA noted, “The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.”