The United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan continue to cement their military partnership.
The Biden administration in Washington considers the Hashemite kingdom “a vital US partner on a wide range of regional security issues.”
The U.S.-Jordanian military cooperation is a key component in bilateral relations. U.S. military assistance is primarily directed toward enabling the Jordanian military to procure and maintain U.S.-origin conventional weapons systems.
U.S. and Jordanian officials have conducted about 50 meetings of the U.S.-Jordan Joint Military Commission (JMC) in which high-level officers from both countries engage in discussions on enhancing cooperation and future procurement. Annual U.S. military aid represents at least 20 per cent of Jordan’s total military defence budget.
According to the State Department, Jordan receives one of the largest allocations of International Military Education and Training (IMET) funding worldwide, and IMET graduates in Jordan include King Abdullah II, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Vice Chairman, the Air Force commander, the Special Forces commander, and numerous other commanders.
The United States has provided military aid to Jordan since 1957. Total bilateral U.S. aid to Jordan through FY2019 amounted to approximately US$23.8 billion. Jordan also has received over US$1.5 billion in additional military aid since FY2015, channeled through the Defense Department’s various security assistance accounts.
For FY2023, the Biden Administration is requesting US$1.45 billion in total bilateral assistance, which would make Jordan, after Israel, the second-largest targeted recipient of annual U.S. foreign aid in the President’s congressional budget justification.
As a result of the Syrian civil war and U.S. Operation Inherent Resolve against the Islamic State, the United States has increased military aid to Jordan and channeled these increases through DOD-managed accounts.
Although Jordan still receives the bulk of U.S. military aid through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) account, Congress has authorised defence appropriations to strengthen Jordan’s border security.
U.S. assistance has helped finance the creation of the Jordan Border Security System, an integrated network of guard towers, surveillance cameras, and radar to guard the kingdom’s borders with Syria and Iraq.
Since FY2015, total DOD security cooperation funding for Jordan has amounted to at least US$1.5 billion dollars.
In December 2021, the United States Air Force, under C-130 Ramp-to-Ramp (R2R) transfer program, donated three C-130 transport aircraft to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. According to the U.S. Embassy in Amman, “The transfer of the USAF C-130 aircraft boosts RJAF fixed wing tactical airlift capability by nearly 50 per cent and saves RJAF approximately US$30 million in equipment renovation costs.”
In February 2022, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of a potential F-16 sale to Jordan estimated at US$4.21 billion. The sale includes the transfer of new planes to Jordan, including 12 F-16 C Block 70 aircraft and four F-16 D Block 70 aircraft. It also includes weapons systems to arm the fighters and engines and other parts to refurbish older F-16 models currently maintained by the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
It is unclear whether the Biden Administration has granted Jordan the ability to finance the purchase over multiple years, which may be necessary given the cost of the proposed sale.
Excess Defense Articles
In 1996, the United States granted Jordan Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status, a designation that, among other things, makes Jordan eligible to receive excess U.S. defence articles, training, and loans of equipment for cooperative research and development. In the past decade, the United States has provided US$83.3 million in excess U.S. defence articles to Jordan, including three AH-1 Cobra Helicopters, 45 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), and M577A3 Tracked Command Post Carriers.
The FMF procedures may be used to purchase new equipment (e.g., precision-guided munitions, night vision) or to sustain previous acquisitions (e.g., Blackhawk helicopters, AT-802 fixed-wing aircraft). The FMF grants have enabled the Royal Jordanian Air Force to procure munitions for its F-16 fighter aircraft and a fleet of 31 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
Opportunities
According to International Trade Administration under the U.S. Department of Commerce, Jordanian Armed Forces receive substantial aid from the U.S. Government under the FMF Program which requires equipment and solutions be purchased from U.S. vendors.
Currently, the United States has US$5.3 billion in active government-to-government sales cases with Jordan under the FMS system. Recent and significant FMS deals include: F-16 Air Combat Training Center; UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter and related equipment; 700 Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems; F-16 weapons, munitions, ground vehicles, jet engines, and logistics support; High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS); Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS), and other multiple rocket launch systems; 37 Meter Coastal Patrol Boats; as well as AMRAAM air-to-air and Javelin anti-tank missiles.
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