US Approves $500 Million Military Deal for Saudi Arabia

The US State Department approved on Thursday a potential $500 million deal between Washington and Riyadh to extend technical maintenance services for US helicopters used by the Saudi military.

The Defense and Security Cooperation Agency of the US Department of Defense said, in a statement, that "the US State Department issued a resolution ratifying a foreign military deal with Saudi Arabia to continue technical maintenance services and supply the appropriate equipment with an approximate value of $500 million."

The Pentagon explained that the deal includes the maintenance of six types of helicopters, noting that the potential agreement "will contribute to the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States" in the Middle East.

Final approval of the deal requires ratification by the US Congress.

This military deal is the first major military agreement of this kind between the United States and Saudi Arabia since the current US President, Joe Biden, took power in his country in January 2021.