US green-lights $325 million in sustainment for Kuwait’s M1 Abrams tanks
The Trump administration has notified Congress of a $325 million arms sale to Kuwait for tank maintenance, part of broader efforts to strengthen Gulf defense ties and streamline US arms transfers.
The Trump administration notified Congress on Wednesday of plans to sell Kuwait $325 million worth of spare parts and maintenance components to sustain the kingdom’s fleet of American-made M1A2 Abrams battle tanks.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the infrastructure of a major non-NATO ally that has been an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced in a press release.
Why it matters: The proposed sale follows earlier approvals this past spring for more than $800 million in upgrades for Kuwait’s Patriot air defense batteries.
The US and Kuwait signed a radar data-sharing agreement last year, as the Biden administration sought to develop a regional air defense cooperation framework to counter the advantage Iran and its proxies hold in ballistic missiles and drones over Arab states in the Gulf.
