US approves possible 136 mln USD military sale to NATO

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Thursday approved a possible foreign military sale to NATO worth an estimated 136.1 million US dollars to extend Stinger missiles' service life.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) requested to buy additional booster pellets, flight motors, gas generator cartridges, Stinger warheads sections, as well as US government and contractor engineering and technical services, said the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency in a statement.

"This proposed sale will contribute to US and NATO defense goals by increasing readiness and enhancing the air defense capabilities of NATO Allies. Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into their armed forces," it said.

NSPA, NATO's lead organization for multinational acquisition, support and sustainment across all domains, manages the Stinger Service Life Extension Program on behalf of Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.

The Stinger missile is a lightweight, self-contained air defense system that can be rapidly deployed by ground troops, according to Raytheon, the US defense firm that produces the missile.