The US State Department has had notified Congress it is ready to sell 50 M1A2 Abrams tanks to Bahrain. The total value of the contract is $2.2 billion. It is expected that lawmakers will approve the deal.
"The proposed sale will improve Bahrain's capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that can deter adversaries and provide the capability to participate in regional operations with the United States and other US partner nations," a State Department statement said.
Bahrain is a strategic partner of the United States. Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and is classified as a major non-NATO ally, giving it privileged defense cooperation with the United States. The country, where the majority of the population is Shia Islam while the elites adhere to Sunni Islam, has tense relations with Iran.
