THE US DEPARTMENT of Defense (DoD) has cleared a logjam of nearly $2 billion in proposed weapons sales to allies, including four Boeing KC-135 refuelling tankers for Singapore and 21 extra Lockheed Martin F-16Cs for Egypt.
The USA will also lease 30 Northrop T-38 Talon trainers to South Korea, which will, in addition, acquire 75 General Electric J85-5 engines. The T-38s will be used until the country fields locally developed KTX-II trainers.
The DoD intends to sell Singapore four surplus KC-135A tankers, which will be refurbished to KC-135R configuration. The work, which includes installation of CFM International CFM56-2 turbofans, is estimated to cost $280 million. The Pentagon says that Singapore needs the KC-135Rs to refuel its F-16s.
Egypt is to buy an extra 21 F-16Cs, worth $670 million, to complete the re-equipment of two air bases. Older Egyptian F-16s will receive radar upgrades and be modified to carry the McDonnell Douglas Harpoon and Rockwell GBU-15 stand-off weapons.
Source: Flight International
