The United States has approved a potential $346 million sale of ammunition, precision bombs, rockets, and associated support to Nigeria, designed to bolster its capacity against terrorism and illicit trafficking. The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) request includes major munitions and technical systems.
Under the proposed package, Nigeria would receive 1,002 MK-82 general-purpose 500-lb bombs; 1,002 MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-12 bombs; and 515 MXU-1006 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-58 bombs. It also includes 1,517 MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control groups, 1,002 FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes, and 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) all-up-rounds.
Additional non-major defense items, such as FMU-139 fuzes, bomb components, impulse cartridges, and both high-explosive and practice rockets, are part of the deal—covered with integration, testing, technical, engineering, and logistics services. The principal contractors for the sale are Lockheed Martin, RTX’s Missiles & Defense business, and BAE Systems.
The Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) stated: “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. It will improve Nigeria’s capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organisations and to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.” The DSCA further noted that the sale would not shift the regional military balance and Nigeria would have no difficulty integrating the munitions into its armed forces.