WASHINGTON, July 24 (UPI) -- Russian arms sales to Venezuela may exceed the defense needs of the South American country, U.S. State Department officials said Thursday.

Russian media outlets suggested Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a staunch opponent of the United States, may order several anti-aircraft missile systems, cargo planes and Russian combat submarines in a deal worth as much as $2 billion, Defense News reported.

The proposed deal comes on the heels of a $4 billion deal, signed in 2005, that included 24 military fighter jets, combat helicopters and around 100,000 AK-47 assault rifles.

"The fact is that Venezuela is expending an awful lot of resources to obtain an awful lot of military hardware, some would say much more than they actually need if you reflect on their actual defense needs," the acting deputy spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Gonzalo R. Gallegos, told reporters.

Russian officials, however, call the deal a "breakthrough," saying Venezuela has no other legitimate means to boost its defense capabilities.

"The European market is too expensive for Chavez, and many components of European arms are made in the United States, which bans selling arms to Venezuela," said Ruslan Pukhov, a Russian strategic analyst.