US approves possible sale of torpedoes to Saudi Arabia: Pentagon

The State Department approves the possible sale of 20 MK 54 MOD 0 Lightweight Torpedoes to Saudi Arabia for $78.5 million, according to the Pentagon.

“The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter current and future threats by upgrading its anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” the Pentagon says.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin has repeatedly reaffirmed to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Washington’s commitment to the Kingdom’s defense and thanked him for Riyadh’s work to promote calm in the Middle East.

The top US and Saudi military generals discussed security and stability concerns in the Middle East in a call last month.

The Pentagon said that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown, and Chief of General Staff, Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, spoke about the importance of peacefully de-escalating tensions in the region.

“The two generals spoke about ways to increase the strength of the bilateral relationship between the US and Saudi Arabian militaries, including capacity building, military training, and exercises,” Joint Staff Spokesman Jereal Dorsey said after the December call. “More broadly, they expressed a shared commitment to establish a strong coalition of regional partners that presents a powerful front to deter aggression and uphold regional stability.”