U.S. Approves AIM-120C Missile Buy for Saudi Arabia's F-15, Typhoon Jets

Saudi Arabia is likely to soon place an order worth $650 million for AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) to arm its fleet of F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets.

The U.S. State Department recently green-lit the sale of 280 of these Raytheon-made missiles, with related equipment and support to Riyadh. The contract covers delivery of 596 LAU-128 Missile Rail Launchers (MRL), containers; weapon support and support equipment; spare and repair parts.

In a statement last week, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by increasing its stocks of medium-range missiles for its fighter aircraft fleet for its national defense. This potential sale will support Saudi Arabia’s Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15C/D, F-15S, and F-I5SA programs and will further strengthen the interoperability between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the agency added.