Iraq Gets Pentagon Approval For Hellfire Missiles Sale Worth $800 Million

The US State Department has approved a $800 million Foreign Military Sale of Hellfire missiles to Iraq.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of this sale on January 6, 2016, the Pentagon said Thursday. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin.

The Government of Iraq has requested a sale of 5,000 AGM-114K/N/R Hellfire missiles, 10 114K M36E9 Captive Air Training Missiles, associated equipment and defense services.

The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security goals of the United States by helping to improve a critical capability of the Iraq Security Forces in defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the statement said.  

Iraq will use the Hellfire missiles to improve the Iraq Security Forces' capability to support ongoing combat operations. Iraq will also use these capability in future contingency operations.