WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Each pod contains six missiles and Finland will obtain 240 missiles in total.
"The government of Finland has requested a possible sale of 40 Rocket Pods: Fifteen Pods of… Unitary Missiles and 25 Pods of… A1 Alternative Warhead Missiles," the release stated.
The release pointed out the deal also includes personnel training and training equipment, software development and other support services for a total estimated cost of $150 million.
"The proposed sale… will improve Finland's capability to meet current and future threats. Finland will use this enhanced capability to strengthen and secure its national borders," the release added.
Finland has historically been a neutral nation and has never been a member of NATO. However, since the end of the Cold War, Finland has started purchasing an increasing amount of weapons from the United States.
The latest sale comes amid a flood of major US weapons sales to the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as to Poland and other eastern European countries.
The new wave of sales is notable for the large quantities of weapons to expand the striking power of the countries’ ground forces.
The latest sale to Finland boosts the country’s capability to use the weapons in an artillery role, according to the release.
