US authorizes $386 million bombs sale to Australia
The US State Department has approved a $386 million sale of bombs to Australia, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
The agency said Wednesday that the government of Australia had placed an order for up to 2,950 small-diameter GBU-39/B bombs and up to 50 guided test vehicles.
The offer also included test equipment and other means of support needed with regard to the bombs.
The US Congress was notified of the sale on Monday, the agency further noted.
The GBU-39/B bomb was developed by Boeing and went into production a decade ago.
The bomb’s compact size and precision guidance allow fighter jets to carry out more accurate strikes per sortie while minimizing collateral damage, Boeing claims.
The news comes amid joint military exercises between American warplanes and the Australian Air Force.
During the military exercises that happen twice a year, Air Force and Navy personnel from the two nations deploy air support for soldiers through a number of drills.
This time, eight US F/A-18E Super Hornet jets have flown over to Townsville in far north Queensland to join Australian PC-9 aircraft and drop powerful explosives on targets as part of the aerobatics demonstrations at Exercise Black Dagger, a joint Air Force and Navy operation.
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