The U.S. has given initial approval to Qatar’s bid to purchase $2 billion worth of surveillance/attack drones.
The State Department approved the deal on Thursday. Under its terms, Qatar will purchase eight of the General Atomics-manufactured MQ-9B Predator drones and hundreds of missiles and bombs. The Qatari government will also purchase satellite equipment to fly the pilotless aircraft.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.
The deal will go to Congress for final approval before the purchase can be completed.
Persian Gulf nations have tried purchasing Predator drones for years but have failed to secure approval during the Biden administration. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have offered to buy the drones, but a deal never materialized.
The approval of the Qatari purchase could be good news for the UAE, which is awaiting approval on a $23 billion deal proposed in 2020. The deal, which would allow the Gulf nation to purchase 18 Predator drones and several F-35 jets, fell apart during the Biden years but could be revived in the Trump administration.
