U.S. to sell missiles to Canada in $2.7 billion deal

(AFP) The United States announced Thursday it had approved a $2.68 billion missile sale to Canada, where the prime minister, Mark Carney, is significantly expanding defense spending amid uncertainties over relations with Washington.

The State Department reported that the airstrike weapons will include up to 3,414 BLU-111 bombs, which weigh 226 kg each and can hit troop formations, and up to 3,108 GBU-39 bombs, designed to hit stationary targets with precision.

It also includes more than 5,000 JDAM kits for converting unguided bombs into guided munitions.

The sale "will improve Canada's credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region, ensure interoperability with U.S. forces, and strengthen Canada's ability to contribute to shared continental defense," the Department of State said in a notification to Congress.

Carney declared in August that the country would meet this year's NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, years ahead of schedule.

The Canadian prime minister pointed to growing uncertainties about the role of the United States, Canada's neighbor and longtime security guarantor under NATO, as well as the possibility of Russian aggression in the Arctic.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned NATO, accusing allies of being overly dependent on the United States while not contributing enough.

Trump has disparaged Canada on several occasions, especially before Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister, and has said it should be the 51st U.S. state.