The State Department has approved a possible sale of precision-guided munitions to NATO, and in turn nations in the US-led coalition fighting ISIS, to increase the arms available in the fight. The total sale, pending Congressional approval, would be $231 million for thousands of guidance kits, computer controls, fuzes, and other related equipment for Joint Direct Attack Munitions, Paveway II bombs, GBU-12s, and GBU-49s, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency release. The munitions and equipment would retransfer to Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Spain, according to DSCA. While the Air Force has been running short of munitions, it is providing them to allies to help address their shortfalls as well, Lt. Gen. John Raymond, the deputy chief of staff for operations, said earlier this year.
Supply chain and vanishing vendor issues make supporting old nuclear systems increasingly difficult, Global Strike Command’s logistics and engineering chief Brig. Gen. Kenyon K. Bell said. Additive printing will be a big help but can be hampered by bureaucracy.