Sales deals for TOW missiles, boats for Bahrain in works

Sept. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department has approved proposed sales of patrol boats and TOW missiles to Bahrain through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.

The sales packages, two separate contracts, carry an estimated combined value of $87.25 million.

The first proposed contract is for two 35-meter (about 114.8 foot) Fast Patrol Boats, each equipped with a MK38 Mod 3 25mm gun weapon system and a SeaFLIR 380 HD Forward Looking Infra-Red device.

Communication equipment; support equipment; spare and repair parts; tools and test equipment; U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services for the boats was also requested by Bahrain.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which manages the FMS program, said in its notification to Congress that the principal contractors for the deal would be Fast Patrol Boats-SwiftShips, BAE Systems and FLIR Systems.

DSCA said that Bahrain is also seeking the purchase of 221 TOW missiles from the United States: 107 TOW 2A, radio frequency missiles (BGM-71-4B-RF); 77 BGM-71F-Series TOW 2B Aero RF missiles; and 37 BGM-71-Fl-RF TOW Bunker Buster RF missiles.

Technical support for the systems would be included.

"The proposed sale of TOW 2A, TOW 2B, TOW BB missiles, and technical support will advance Bahrain's efforts to develop an integrated ground defense capability," DSCA said in its notification to Congress.

The principal contractor for the deal would be Raytheon Missile Systems.