The U.S. Department of State has cleared the way for North Macedonia to buy more Joint Light Tactical Vehicles from the United States.
The department approved Skopje’s request to acquire 18 M1278A1/A2 JLTV Heavy Guns Carrier units and seven M1278A1/A2 JLTV General Purpose variants for an estimated cost of $111 million.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the proposed deal complements an original foreign military sale to deliver 48 M1278A1/A2 JLTV HGCs, 17 M1280A1/A2 JLTV GPs and six M1281A1/A2 JLTV Close Combat Weapons Carrier units to the landlocked country.
The government-to-government agreement, which requires congressional review and approval, would include spare and repair parts, machine guns, communications equipment, training, engineering and logistics services, and associated program support.
DCSA said the potential FMS deal would deliver a modern tactical vehicle capability to North Macedonia, enabling the European nation to enhance its national and territorial defense and increase its interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces. In addition, the military sale would advance the United States’ foreign policy and national security agenda of strengthening the security of a NATO ally.
The agency identified Oshkosh Defense, AM General, Leonardo DRS and L3Harris Technologies as the principal contractors supporting the proposed sale.