Washington has approved the sale of more than 80 precision missiles to Finland for a total of $323 million, the State Department announced Monday, as the traditionally non-aligned country prepares to join NATO.
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The Finnish government wants to acquire 40 tactical missiles and 48 hovering guided bombs to equip its fighter air fleet and this sale of sensitive equipment had previously to be approved by the US government, the State Department said in a statement.
The AIM 9X Block II missile, known as “Sidewinder”, is an infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile produced by Raytheon.
The AGM-154 JSOW (“Joint standoff weapon”) is a medium-range precision hovering guided bomb, allowing firing at a safe distance (“standoff”), also manufactured by Raytheon.
“This proposed sale will enhance the foreign policy and national security of the United States by enhancing the security of a trusted partner, which is an important contributor to political stability and economic progress around the world,” the department said. of State in a press release.
If confirmed, this sale of arms “will improve the air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities of Finland”, which will have “no difficulty in integrating them into its armed forces”.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden submitted a joint bid to join the Atlantic Alliance in May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment.
This, which must be accepted unanimously by the 30 member states of NATO, has been ratified by all except Turkey and Hungary.