US military close to selling 5000 Hellfire missiles to Iraq

The Pentagon said on Tuesday the government has approved the sale of 5,000 AGM-114K/N/R missiles , made by Lockheed Martin Corp., and related parts and training.

The US would make $700 million out of the missile deal, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

The planned sale is the largest yet of the air-to-ground missiles, which the Iraqis fire from AC-208 Cessna Caravan planes and other fighter jets.

"Iraq will use the Hellfire missiles to help improve the Iraq Security Forces' capability to support current on-going ground operations," the agency said.

According to Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby, Washington has already sold hundreds of Hellfire missiles to Iraq.

Earlier in July, Bloomberg News reported that the State Department had told members of Congress that the administration wanted to sell at least 4,000 Hellfire missiles to Iraq.

The US has pledged military aid to Iraq in its fight against the Takfiri militants who have seized several key Iraqi cities since a new wave of violence began in the Arab country on June 10.

The militants, who have posted pictures of their atrocious acts against Iraqi citizens online, have vowed to continue their offensive towards the capital Baghdad.

More than one million people have been displaced in Iraq so far this year, according to the UN.

Soldiers of the Iraqi army, backed by tribal forces and volunteers, have been engaged in heavy fighting with the militants on different fronts and have so far been able to push back militants in several areas.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said Saudi Arabia and Qatar are responsible for the security crisis and growing terrorism in the country, denouncing Riyadh as a major supporter of global terrorism.

HK