The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $1.651 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 23.
The deal includes among others- twelve (12) Weapons-Ready MQ-9B, Remotely Piloted Aircraft; fifteen (15) Raytheon Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems-D (MTS-D) EO/IR sensors; sixteen (16) Lynx AN/APY-8 Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR) with Ground Moving Target Indicator (GTMI); fifteen (15) RIOTM Communication Intelligence Systems; thirty-six (36) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules (SAASMs); six (6) KMU-572 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) tail kits for 500lb bombs; four (4) MXU-650 Airfoil Groups for 500lb Paveway II GBU-12; seven (7) MXU-1006 Airfoil Groups for 250lb Paveway II GBU-58; four (4) MAU-169 or MAU-209 Computer Control Groups (CCGs) for 250lb/500lb Paveway II GBU-58/GBU-12; six (6) FMU-139 Fuse Systems; twelve (12) MK-82 General Purpose 500lb inert bombs; five (5) High Bandwidth Compact Telemetry Modules (HCTMs). Also included are Honeywell aircraft engines; Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCSs);