According to information released by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the U.S. sold $34.2 billion worth of military equipment to allies during 2014.
One of the major sales made by the government included an $11 billion deal with Qatar where the nation acquired 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles and 24 Apache helicopters. Singapore bought $2.4 billion worth of F-16s, while the United Arab Emirates spent $2.5 billion on 4,500 mine-resistant, ambushed-protected vehicles. Saudi Arabia also spent $2 billion to update its airborne warning and control systems, reported Military Times.
The U.S. also struck a deal with Iraq for $790 million worth of various combat materials, from missiles to aircrafts, which will help the country fight the terrorist group known as the Islamic State.
These sales showed an increase from last year's numbers, which came in at $30 billion. Military Times noted that the U.S. had record-breaking sales in 2012 at $69.1 billion dollars due to a nearly $30 billion aircraft sale to Saudi Arabia.
Increased foreign military sales are part of a defense initiative to equip allied nations with the ability to proactively defend themselves and not rely entirely on U.S. aid, reported the source.