The Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced $383.3 million in foreign military sales to Afghanistan and four other countries.
Pentagon in a statement said “FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina (W56HZV-20-D-0024); and Colt’s Manufacturing Co. LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut (W56HZV-20-D-0025), will compete for each order of the $383,311,941 firm-fixed-price contract to provide M16A4 rifles for Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Grenada, Iraq, Lebanon and Nepal).”
The statement further added “Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 28, 2025.”
The State Department said late in August last year it has approved a major weapons sale to Afghanistan in a bid to help the Afghan forces fight the growing menace of terrorism.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said “The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Afghanistan for individual and crew served weapons, equipment, training, and support. The estimated cost is $60 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on August 17, 2016.”
According to DSCA, the request Afghanistan includes Major Defense Equipment (MDE), consisting of four thousand, eight hundred and ninety-one (4,891) M16A4 5.56mm Rifles, four hundred and eighty-five (485) M240B 7.62mm Machine Guns, and eight hundred (800) M2 .50 caliber Machine Guns.
