Seeking to strengthen the military capabilities of its main ally in the Middle East, the U.S. government has authorized the potential sale of AIM-120C-8 air-to-air missiles for Israeli Air Force fighters. The announcement came as part of a series of authorizations issued by the State Department in favor of the Israeli government, including the potential sale of new F-15IA fighters along with aircraft modernization kits totaling $18 billion.
According to the document published by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Israeli government requested from the U.S. the purchase of a batch of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). The authorization issued by the State Department on August 13 includes the sale of up to thirty (30) BVR air-to-air missiles, along with spare parts, components, consumables, and other accessories, in line with the type of packages authorized through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM are medium-range air-to-air missiles with beyond-visual-range (BVR) capabilities. They are capable of operating in all weather conditions, during both day and night operations. They have a top speed of 4,900 km/h and, in their C-8 version, a range of up to 160 kilometers.
Although no further details were provided, the sale of this batch of BVR missiles, valued at $102.5 million and supplied primarily by RTX Corporation (which includes Raytheon), is presumably intended to replenish the stocks of this type of missile used by various Israeli Air Force fighters, including the F-15, F-16, and F-35A.
The State Department stated: “AMRAAMs are a key air combat capability used to defend against aerial threats, such as the missile and drone salvo launched against Israel on April 14. The proposed sale will enhance Israel’s ability to confront current and future enemy threats, strengthen its national defense, and serve as a deterrent against regional threats. Israel will have no difficulty incorporating these items and services into its armed forces.”
This excerpt gains relevance in light of the deteriorating regional security situation in the Middle East, which does not seem to have a short-term resolution. The ongoing conflict in Gaza, sparked by the HAMAS terrorist attack in October 2023, along with the operations of this group supported by Iran, has been exacerbated by various events, such as Houthi attacks on maritime transport lines in the Red Sea, and more recently, the attack in Tehran in which the leader of the Palestinian terrorist organization was eliminated. In response to the latter, the Iranian regime has promised a large-scale retaliation by attacking Israeli targets.
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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