بلومبيرغ: البنتاجون سينفق 1.2 مليار دولار على الأسلحة بعد هجمات إيران والحوثيين

Bloomberg reported that US Defense will spend about $1.2 billion to maintain ships deployed as part of its operations in the Red Sea and to replenish stocks of missiles launched to repel attacks by Iran and its allies.

According to the American agency, the spending described in two budget documents submitted to the defense committees in Congress helps highlight the cost of maintaining an enhanced presence in the region in addition to the cost of shooting down marches and missiles launched by Iran or the Houthis in Yemen.

About $190 million will be spent on replenishing the stock of standard 3 Block 1B sea-launched missiles from RTX, and about $8.5 million has been allocated to purchase more AIM-X Sidewinder thermal air-to-air missiles. , according to the documents.

The largest portion of the Pentagon’s expected spending over a full year of operations in the Middle East is $300 million for unplanned maintenance at the depots of the amphibious assault ship “USS Bataan” and ships belonging to the “USS Eisenhower” group, which conducted operations in The Red Sea, according to what the Pentagon mentioned in the documents.

The $300 million represents the largest portion of the Pentagon’s expected spending during a full year of operations in the Middle East.

Israeli air defenses, with help from the United States, Britain and other countries, repelled a barrage of about 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran in April.

The spending relates to “costs incurred by the Department of Defense within the US Central Command area in response to the situation in Israel, or for military actions in the region, as a direct result of the situation in Israel,” one document says.

Each advanced Standard 3 Block IB missile costs between $9 million and $10 million.

This week, two Navy destroyers launched about 12 Standard missiles in defense of Israel, after another wave of Iranian attacks, according to a Navy official who refused to reveal his identity.

This means that US aid this week likely cost about $120 million.

The documents also reveal orders worth $276 million to purchase additional SM6 Standard missiles, in addition to $57.3 million for Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Another $6.7 million was allocated for the Enhanced Sea Sparrow missile for self-defense. All of these weapons are manufactured by RTX.

The Pentagon will also spend $25 million on GPS-Jdam guidance kits from Boeing, and $7.4 million on other small-diameter bombs.

Another $25 million will be allocated to “increase manufacturing resources” for the Standard missile to support the Pentagon’s response to what it calls “the situation in Israel.”

The request also includes $26.4 million to replace RTX Coyote Block 2 drone interceptors that have been depleted since October 2023 to support the Department of Defense’s response to the situation in Israel, the document said.

Another $20 million will also be spent on BAE Systems PLC laser-guided missiles from the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System.