US Greenlights Sale of Abrams Tanks Worth $2.2 Billion to Bahrain
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the US State Department has decided to approve a Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Bahrain for M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks and related equipment valued at $2.2 billion. According to the agency, the necessary certification and related documents announcing the potential sale were delivered to the US Congress on March 19, 2024.
The potential sale includes 50 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, 4 M88A2 HERCULES Combat Recovery Vehicles, 8 M1110 Joint Assault Bridges, 8 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles, 8 Heavy Assault Scissor Bridges (HASB), M240 Coaxial 7.62mm machine guns, M2A1 .50-caliber machine guns, and multi-purpose ammunition for these weapons. Other important components of the package include spare parts, consumables, accessories, logistics and program support.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), “The proposed sale will improve Bahrain’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that can deter adversaries and provide the capability to participate in regional operations with the United States and other U.S. partner nations. Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.” The agency also stated that the proposed sale would not change the basic military balance in the region.
The agreement’s main contractors will be General Dynamics Land Systems, BAE Systems, Leonardo DRS, Honeywell Aerospace, RTX Corporation and Lockheed Martin. Successful execution of this potential sale would require a staff member from the U.S. government and thirty contractor representatives to travel to Bahrain for a period of up to five years. The key responsibilities of these individuals will be the processing/fielding of equipment, system control, training, and the provision of necessary technical and logistical support.
The approval of this potential arms sale by the State Department means that the sale is not a concern for the US administration. If the US Congress does not object to the State Department’s decision within 30 business days, the administration will begin negotiations with the Bahraini government over the content of the sales package, and the procurement process will begin. If the US Congress does not object to the sale, the Royal Bahraini Army will receive the latest upgraded version of the Abrams main battle tank. These advanced tanks will replace the 100 older M60A3 tanks currently serving with the Royal Bahraini Army’s 1st Armored Brigade. This will significantly strengthen the Royal Bahrain Army’s main battle tank (MBT) fleet.