The US plans to sell Qatar two spare engines for C-17 Globemaster III transport planes, the Western nation’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has told Congress.

In a statement, the DSCA added that the $35 million purchase will:

“Enhance Qatar’s ability to operate and maintain its C-17s, supporting its capability to provide humanitarian aid in the Middle East and Africa region and support its troops in coalition operations.”

According to financial blog Motley Fool, this is the fourth arms agreement the US and Qatar have reached since December 2012, when Qatar was said to buy $406 million worth of mobile rocket launchers.

It also placed an order for $122 million worth of antitank missiles in April and reportedly paid $110 million for a US aircraft defense system last month.

But the US is not Qatar’s only weapons supplier. Two months ago, shortly after the country’s then-Prime Minister visited Berlin, Qatar inked a deal for some $2.6 billion worth of weapons and tanks from a German defense firm to upgrade its artillery.

All of these deals have been seen as attempts to shore up Qatar’s defenses, presumably against Iran.

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by USASOC News Service