The United States has supplied the Kingdom of Jordan with eight Black Hawk multipurpose helicopters to help it combat potential Islamic State (ISIS) threats.
The US ambassador to Jordan, Alice Wells, said on Thursday as the helicopters were being handed over the Jordanian armed forces at the country's Marka military airport that this delivery was another part of Washington's continued military support to Jordan.
"As you employ these aircraft in the fight against Daesh [ISIS] please know that we are honoured to partner with you," she told Jordanian officials according to AP.
The Black Hawks are fitted with guns and some surveillance equipment which will enhance Jordan's capability to monitor its own border and prevent infiltration.
Eight more upgraded Black Hawks will be sent to Jordan by the end of 2017 according to US officials. All of this is part of a $700 million US military aid package which will also include 26,000 guns, 3 million rounds of ammo, bombs and 5,000 night vision devices.
Jordan is a member of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition and also shares frontiers with Iraq and Syria. Large swaths of both controls remain under ISIS control.
In addition it has to deal with internal ISIS sympathizers. Just this week Jordanian security forces killed seven militants they suspected were collaborating with ISIS north of the kingdom who were actively plotting to carry out terror attacks.
The US ambassador to Jordan, Alice Wells, said on Thursday as the helicopters were being handed over the Jordanian armed forces at the country's Marka military airport that this delivery was another part of Washington's continued military support to Jordan.
"As you employ these aircraft in the fight against Daesh [ISIS] please know that we are honoured to partner with you," she told Jordanian officials according to AP.
The Black Hawks are fitted with guns and some surveillance equipment which will enhance Jordan's capability to monitor its own border and prevent infiltration.
Eight more upgraded Black Hawks will be sent to Jordan by the end of 2017 according to US officials. All of this is part of a $700 million US military aid package which will also include 26,000 guns, 3 million rounds of ammo, bombs and 5,000 night vision devices.
Jordan is a member of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition and also shares frontiers with Iraq and Syria. Large swaths of both controls remain under ISIS control.
In addition it has to deal with internal ISIS sympathizers. Just this week Jordanian security forces killed seven militants they suspected were collaborating with ISIS north of the kingdom who were actively plotting to carry out terror attacks.
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