Raytheon to deliver AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM to Kuwait, Morocco and Jordan

WASHINGTON:The U.S. government executed separate Letters of Offer and Acceptance with three of its key allies to purchase Raytheon Company's AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

The three countries, in the order they signed their LOAs, are Kuwait, Morocco and Jordan.

Raytheon to deliver AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM to Kuwait, Morocco and Jordan

"The AIM-120C-7 provides unparalleled air combat and air defense capabilities," said Col. Michael Andersen, commander of the U.S. Air Force's 328th Armament Systems Group. "By equipping our allies with the AIM-120C-7 through the Foreign Military Sales program, the U.S. government strengthens regional security and promotes coalition interoperability".

The three countries will receive an undisclosed quantity of missiles for use in both air-to-air and air defense missions.

"No other missile in production or in development can match AMRAAM for lethality, reliability and overall affordability for the entire life cycle of the missile," said Jim Knox, Raytheon's AMRAAM program director. "AMRAAM, in both the air-to-air and surface-launch applications, is the weapon of choice to protect the people, critical infrastructure and resources of our Arab allies".

AMRAAM gives the warfighter flexibility because it can be quickly transferred from a fighter aircraft to a missile launcher to fulfill its air defense role. Using one missile for two critical missions gives the warfighter a cost-effective logistics and maintenance solution.

AIM-120C-7 has been integrated on the F-16, F-15, F/A-18, Typhoon and the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. It is also the baseline missile for the U.S. Army's Surface Launched-AMRAAM and the NATO-approved Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.

AMRAAM has more than 1.7 million captive-carry hours and more than 2,400 live firings

F-22 Raptor at Dubai Air Show signals a new Middle-East arms procurement race

DUBAI:The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, the world’s most advanced fighter jet, made a stunning flying demonstration at Dubai Air show 2009, signaling intent to offer this latest fighter in the U.S. arsenal, to its friends and allies in the Middle east.

F-22 Raptor at Dubai Air Show signals a new Middle-East arms procurement race

The UAE is in talks with France's Dassault Aviation to buy Rafale combat jets which will be on display at the Nov. 15-18 air show. Rafale has been trying to notch up its first international sale and one of the conditions reportedly set by the UAE is that France buys back its stock of Mirage 2000 fighters bought nearly a decade ago.

The Gulf countries are willing customers for advanced fighters though they have not felt the need to use them in combat. Customers for new fighters are said to include Kuwait and Oman. Saudi Arabia has recently ordered Eurofighter Typhoons and may look at F-15 Eagle fighters too.

The F-22 made an impressive 14-minute display, with some eye-popping stunts designed to impress the assembled VVIPs from the Middle East and Arab countries who had gathered there. While officially the F-22 has not been offered for sale, its presence at the Dubai Air Show clearly indicates a testing of the waters if not an outright solicitation of sale.

Some analysts believe that the reason for the F-22 being at Dubai is to flex muscles verses Iran.

But that seem unlikely as the U.S. sixth fleet does enough of that on a daily basis while patrolling the Mediterranean and the Straits of Hormuz.

“It is marketing for U.S. equipment, maybe reminding the UAE that there are alternatives to Rafale”, a French aeronautics company executive was quoted as saying.