US, Qatar Sign $12Bn F-15 Deal

Amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a number of its Gulf neighbors, the US has agreed to sell $12 billion worth of American F-15 fighters to the country.

"Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis met today with Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid al-Attiyah to discuss concluding steps in finalizing the Foreign Military Sales purchase of US-manufactured F-15 fighter aircraft by the State of Qatar. The $12 billion sale will give Qatar a state of the art capability and increase security cooperation and interoperability between the United States and Qatar," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Roger Cabiness told CNN in a statement.

"The secretary and the minister also discussed mutual security interests, including the current status of operations against ISIS, and the importance of de-escalating tensions so all partners in the Gulf region can focus on next steps in meeting common goals," Cabiness added.

The sale of US combat aircraft represents a major signal of US support for Qatar as it faces regional isolation and the severing of travel and trade links. (end of excerpt)

Click here for the full story, on the CNN website.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Qatar's Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday the country signed the deal, Reuters reported from Doha June 15.
Agence France-Presse said the agreement took the form of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA), and Bloomberg News reported the deal covered 36 aircraft.
The F-15QA version selected by Qatar is similar to the latest F-15SA version that Boeing has just begun delivering to Saudi Arabia.)

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