U.S. Fighter Sales to Gulf Allies Stalled for Up to Three Years
- Qatar’s request for 36 Boeing F-15s dates back to July 2013
- ‘We sit on their requests, sometimes for years,’ lawmaker says
A Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
While the Obama administration has promised new arms sales to bolster Sunni Gulf allies against their Shiite rival Iran, the White House has yet to seek congressional approval for fighter jets requested by Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain as long ago as 2013.
The stalled aircraft sales could be valued at as much as $12 billion -- and $20 billion if spare parts, logistical support and munitions are included, according to Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst for the Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia.