US foreign military sales exceeded $30 billion for the fourth consecutive year in Fiscal 2011, announced the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees the Pentagon’s transfer of military equipment to allies and friends. In total, DSCA recorded $34.8 billion in total equipment sales last fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30. The bulk of that, or $28.3 billion, occurred under the government-to-government FMS program. The top three FMS customers were: Afghanistan ($5.4 billion), Taiwan ($4.9 billion), and India ($4.5 billion), according to the agency. Rounding out the top 10 were Australia ($3.9 billion), Saudi Arabia ($3.5 billion), Iraq ($2.0 billion), United Arab Emirates ($1.5 billion), Israel ($1.4 billion), Japan ($0.5 billion), and Sweden ($0.5 billion). DSCA forecasts that FMS sales will be around $30 billion in Fiscal 2012.
Air Force F-16 pilots are testing out new sensors that could help maximize their performance and avoid deadly accidents while flying fast fighter jets under heavy G-forces and stressful conditions.