The U.S. State Department has given its approval for a potential $346 million sale of precision weapons to Nigeria. This includes a variety of munitions, bombs, and rockets aimed at helping Nigeria fight terrorism and illegal trafficking.
What’s in the Deal?
The proposed package includes a wide range of military equipment:
- Bombs and Components: The sale features 1,002 MK-82 general-purpose bombs, along with various guidance systems and fuzes to convert them into precision-guided weapons (Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58).
- Rockets: A significant part of the deal is the purchase of 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets, which are known for their high accuracy.
- Support: The package also includes technical and logistical support from the U.S. government and its contractors.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which delivered the required notification to Congress, this sale is meant to support U.S. foreign policy by strengthening a key partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. The U.S. government believes Nigeria will have no trouble integrating these new munitions into its armed forces.
The primary contractors for this sale are RTX Missiles and Defense, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and BAE Systems.
