Pentagon is about to resupply Jordan’s military with munitions the kingdom is spending while inflicting airstrikes against the militants of the Islamic State, media reports. Delivery of arms, including JDAM precision bombs, is expected in a few weeks.
Though both the Pentagon and the State Department have declined
to comment, a number of US officials have confirmed to Reuters on
condition of anonymity that the Hashemite Kingdom is not going to
suffer a shortage of ordnance while fighting ISIS.
Jordan’s King Abdullah personally appealed to American lawmakers
for more military support and delivery of munitions and other
weapons in the first place.
READ MORE:
UAE sends F-16 jets to Jordan to step up airstrikes
against ISIS – report
While visiting Washington last week, Jordanian monarch reported
delays in normal delivery channels and specified Jordanian
military’s requests, which sought aircraft parts, additional
night vision equipment and precision munitions. Reportedly, Amman
requested Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), Boeing-made kits
that enable modifying of a conventional bomb into
precision-guided systems operated under GPS technology.
Jordan, which joined the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition in
September, has augmented its military effort following the
execution of its downed military pilot, Muath al-Kasaesbeh, who
was burned alive in a cage by ISIS.
READ
MORE: ISIS burns alive Jordanian pilot it kept
hostage
Jordan is running out of bombs and needs more ordnance to keep
the air strike pressure on the ISIS, a source close to the
Jordanian government told Reuters.
“#Jordan
Unleashing HELL on #ISIS…
They Painted THIS on Their F-16 Fighter Jets!” http://t.co/pc2GJszIjY pic.twitter.com/k14k9dVgTb
— Ian Fleming (@SchweizerGeld) February
7, 2015
Jordan’s Air Force is specifically focusing its efforts on
bombing the Islamic State’s positions on the territory of Syria.
According to the Pentagon’s estimates, last week Jordan dropped
72 bombs in the first wave of its revenge.
READ MORE: ‘Just the beginning’: Jordan sends dozens of fighter
jets to strike ISIS in Syria
King Abdullah’s visit to the US prompted the Senate Armed
Services Committee, led by Republican Senator John McCain, to
urge the Obama administration to deal with Jordan’s requests
“with a sense of urgency reflecting the pace of events.”
“This committee’s immediate concern is to ensure Jordan has
all the equipment and resources necessary to continue taking the
fight directly to ISIL,” McCain said.
Jordan’s planes are bombing ISIS again, but this momentum might
not last long: http://t.co/bcrbVOItOM pic.twitter.com/6clIffMjwa
— Foreign Affairs (@ForeignAffairs) February
12, 2015
“If the [Obama] administration does not up its game with
Jordan in terms of equipment for their military, help on
refugees, there will be strong pushback from Congress,” a
Republican committee member, Senator Lindsey Graham, said.
To bolster Jordan’s ability to counter terrorism, Washington has
signed a memorandum of understanding with Amman On February 3,
allocating significantly greater funds for military aid to
Jordan.
While usually the US provides Jordan with more than $300 million
annual security assistance, the new document confirms
Washington’s commitment to increase aid from $660 million to $1
billion for 2015-2017.