THAAD Missile System On Saudi Shopping List During Trump’s Visit

The US and Saudi Arabia are likely to finalize a series of arms deals that include THAAD, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, M109 artillery, Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and munitions as part of the touted $3oo billion arms package during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh Friday.

The arms package could end up surpassing more than $300 billion over a decade to help Saudi Arabia boost its defensive capabilities, Reuters reported last week quoting a senior White House official.

"We are in the final stages of a series of deals. The package includes American arms and maintenance, ships, air missile defense and maritime security,” the official said.

The proposed arms package are said to include Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system (THAAD) for $1 billion, Bradley fighting vehicles, M109 artillery, LCS and $1 billion-worth of munitions that include laser-guided bombs and armor piercing warheads.

The package includes American arms and maintenance, ships, air missile defense and maritime security, the official said.

The US state department in March approved a multi-million dollar arms sale that included tanks and armored vehicles and precision-guided military technology to Saudi Arabia that was blocked by the previous Obama Administration.

The deals were opposed by over 60 members of House of Representatives over human rights concern in Yemen last year.