WASHINGTON, November 20 (Sputnik) — The US State Department has approved a possible sale of a high-altitude, long-endurance drones and related equipment to Japan amounting to more than a billion dollars, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release on Friday.
“The proposed sale of the RQ-4 [drones] will significantly enhance Japan’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and help ensure that Japan is able to continue to monitor and deter regional threats,” the press release stated. “The total estimated value is $1.2 billion.”
The government of Japan requested to purchase three Global Hawk drones, eight Kearfott navigation systems, eight global positioning systems, as well as other support equipment, according to the press release.
Northrop Grumman Corporation from Rancho Bernardo, California will be the principal contractor for the drone production.
The United States has been stepping up arms sales to nations in the Asia Pacific region as part of the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia” strategy to strengthen US allies’ military forces.
