State Department approves sale of AMRAAM missiles to Denmark

July 11 (UPI) -- The State Department has approved the possible sale of AIM-120 C7 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to Denmark under a foreign military sale.

Denmark has requested a purchase of 28 of the missiles and one spare guidance section. The potential contract, announced Tuesday by the Department of Defense, includes spare parts, testing equipment and technical support. The estimated cost of the program is $90 million.

The State Department says that the purchase will contribute to US security by strengthening a NATO ally. The missiles will be used by Denmark's F-16 fighter fleet and potentially future F-35 stealth jets. The proposed sale would not alter the balance of power in the region, the Pentagon said.

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile is the standard radar-guided missile used by the U.S, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and many allied nations. It is a "fire-and-forget" weapon that uses a active radar seeker head to track and destroy aircraft.

It replaces the older AIM-7 Sparrow missile in most modern inventories. Some versions of the missile have ranges of over a 100 miles.

The principle contractor for the sale is Raytheon.