The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Qatar of twenty-four (24) AH-64E Apache Attack helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.0 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Qatar has requested to buy twenty-four (24) AH-64E Apache Attack helicopters; fifty-two (52) T700-GE-701D engines (2 per aircraft, 4 spares); twenty-six (26) AN/ASQ-170 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight (MTADS) (1 per aircraft, 2 spares); twenty-six (26) AN/AAQ-11 Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors (1 per aircraft, 2 spare); eight (8) AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars (FCR) with Radar Electronics Unit (LONGBOW component); eight (8) AN/APR-48 Modernized-Radar Frequency Interferometers (MRFI); twenty-nine (29) AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) (1 per aircraft, 5 spares); fifty-eight (58) Embedded Global Positioning Systems with Inertial Navigation (EGI) (2 per aircraft, 10 spares); two thousand five hundred (2,500) AGM-114R Hellfire missiles; and twenty-five (25) Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM) (1 per aircraft, 1 spare). Also included are twenty-eight (28) M230 30mm automatic chain guns (1 per aircraft, 4 spares), AN/AVR-2B laser detecting sets, AN/APR-39 Radar Signal Detecting Sets, AN/AVS-6 Night Vision Goggles, M299 Hellfire missile launchers, 2.75 inch Hydra Rockets, 30mm cartridges, CCU-44 impulse cartridges, M206 and 211 countermeasure flares, M230 automatic guns and associated components, 2.75 inch rocket launcher tubes, AN/ARC-231 and AN/ARC-201D radios with associated components, AN/APX-123 transponders, image intensifiers, MUMT2i systems, AN/ARN-153 tactical airborne navigation systems, chaff, spare an repair parts, support equipment, training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $3.0 billion.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political and economic progress in the Middle East. Qatar is host to the U.S. Central Command forces and serves as a critical forward-deployed location in the region. The acquisition of these helicopters will allow for integration with U.S. forces for training exercises, which contributes to regional security and interoperability.

The proposed sale of the AH-64E Apache helicopters will supplement the Qatar Emiri Air Force’s previous procurement of twenty-four (24) AH-64Es, which are capable of meeting its requirements for close air support, armed reconnaissance, and anti-tank warfare missions. The helicopters will provide a long-term defensive and offensive capability to the Qatar peninsula as well as enhance the protection of key oil and gas infrastructure and platforms. Qatar will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of these missiles will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be The Boeing Company, Mesa, Arizona; Lockheed Martin Corporation, Orlando, Florida; General Electric, Cincinnati, Ohio; Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors, Owego, New York; Longbow Limited Liability Corporation, Orlando, Florida; Thales Corporation, Paris, France; and Raytheon Corporation. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of three (3) U.S. Government and five (5) contractor representatives to Qatar to support delivery of the Apache helicopters and provide support and equipment familiarization. In addition, Qatar has expressed an interest in expanding their planned Technical Assistance Fielding Team for additional in-country pilot and maintenance training to support this additional quantity of aircraft. To support the requirement a team of twenty (20) personnel (up to three military team members and 17 contractors) would be deployed to Qatar for approximately three years.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

DSCA release