US Approves 40 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet Fighters, Engines, Radars For $10.1 Billion To Kuwait

The US State Department has approved sale of 40 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Aircraft for an estimated cost of $10.1 billion to Kuwait.

The approved contract will include support, equipment, and training. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on November 17, 2016.

The Government of Kuwait has requested to purchase 32 F/A-18E aircraft, with F414-GE-400 engines; eight F/A-18F aircraft, with F414-GE-400 engines; eight spare F414-GE-400 engines and 24 engine modules; 41 AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars; 44 M61A2 20mm Gun Systems; 45 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Radar Warning Receivers; 240 LAU-127E/A Guided Missile Launchers; 45 AN/ALE-47 Airborne Countermeasures Dispenser Systems; 12 AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER Advanced Targeting Pods; 48 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS); 45 AN/ALQ-214 Radio Frequency Counter-Measures Systems; 45 AN/ALE-55 Towed Decoys; 48 Link-16 Systems; 8 Conformal Fuel Tanks; and 14 AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR Systems.

Also included in the sale are ARC-210 radio (aircraft); Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems; AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles (NVG); Launchers (LAU- 115D/A, LAU-116B/A, LAU-l 18A); Command Launch Computer (CLC) for Air to Ground Missile 88 (AGM-88); ANAV/MAGR GPS Navigation; Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); aircraft spares; Aircraft Armament Equipment (AAE); support equipment; aircrew/maintenance training; contractor engineering technical service; logistics technical services; engineering technical services; other technical assistance; contractor logistics support; flight test services; storage and preservation; aircraft ferry; Repair of Repairable (RoR); support systems and associated logistics; training aides and devices; spares; technical data Engineering Change Proposals; avionics software support; software; technical publications; engineering and program support; U.S. Government and contractor engineering; technical and logistic support services.

The acquisition of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft will allow for greater interoperability with U.S. forces, providing benefits for training and possible future coalition operations in support of shared regional security objectives.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft will supplement and eventually replace the Kuwait Air Force's aging fighter aircraft.

The prime contractors will be Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and General Electric.

Kuwait requires contractors to satisfy an offset obligation equal to 35 percent of the main contract purchase price for any sale of defense articles in excess of three million Kuwait Dinar, (approximately $10 million USD).