The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified the U.S. Congress of the Department of State’s approval of a potential $780 million foreign military sale of 940 FIM-92K Stinger Block I missiles and related equipment to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. NSPA is making the acquisition on behalf of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
The purchase order includes battery coolant units, metal containers, production, technical and engineering assistance, and related logistics and program support.
The sale supports U.S. foreign policy and national security goals, with the deal making the three NATO allies’ air space more secure, DSCA said.
Since Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, U.S.-made drones and missiles like Stingers have drawn European allies’ interest, according to Reuters. Earlier in January, Lithuania received State Department approval to send Stingers to Ukraine as part of its support to Kyiv.
According to Defense One, the U.S. military aid package for Ukraine has included shipments of almost 2,000 Stingers, with deliveries up to 2026.
The NSPA order’s primary contractors are Raytheon of Tucson, Arizona, and Lockheed Martin of Syracuse, New York. Raytheon has asked its retired engineers to help ramp up Stinger production, Reuters also reported.