US approves possible sale of Javelin missiles to Australia

WASHINGTON - The US State Department made a determination to approve a possible foreign military sale to Australia of Javelin missiles and related equipment for $60.18 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

Australia has requested to buy up to 255 Javelin FGM-148F missiles. The prime US contractor will be the Javelin Joint Venture between defense contractors Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp, the Pentagon said in a statement.

Australia has been boosting its defense spending over the past few years as China looks to step up its presence in the Indo-Pacific region. -- Reuters