Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has launched plans to export military aircraft to Yemen.

The Defense Department has awarded a $41.5 million contract for four intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for the Yemen Air Force.

Under the contract, L-3 Communications would supply aircraft,
training and spares for counter-insurgency operations in Yemen.

“This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition, and is 100
percent foreign military sales for Yemen,” the Pentagon said.

In a statement on June 2, the Pentagon did not identify the aircraft.
But in 2014, the Pentagon was said to have staged a competition to procure
up to 10 two-crew member aircraft that contain ISR systems as well as
AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles for attacks on Al Qaida in Yemen.
Two companies, Air Tractor and Thrush Aircraft, have been competing for the
project.

The Pentagon said the contract would be performed in Waco, Texas and
completed by October 2015. Officials said the U.S. Air Force would train and
mentor Yemeni pilots for CI missions.

“Thus far in FY2014, DoD has notified $290.2 million for 20 programs in
15 countries,” the Congressional Research Service said in a report in April
2014.

“The single largest recipient is Yemen, with a $46.5 million program
to provide an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft with
precision strike capability, and $17.5 million of an unmanned aerial system,
for a total of $64 million.”

  Air Tractor, L-3 Communications, Pentagon, Thrush Aircraft, U.S. to export 4 ISR aircraft to Yemen