The United States announced on Monday that it had agreed to sell up to 36 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and related equipment, including missiles, to South Korea in a deal worth $3.5 billion.
“The proposed sale will enhance the Republic of Korea’s ability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in regional operations,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.
The sale will “improve the security of a key ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement said, using the US foreign policy term for the Asia-Pacific region.
The State Department approved the possible sale of the helicopters to South Koreaand the DSCA on Monday submitted the required notice to Congress, which still must approve the transaction.
The announcement came on the same day that Washington and Seoul began major joint annual military exercises aimed at containing the nuclear-armed North.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise lasts until August 29 and involves thousands of military personnel.
