U.S. to supply Lebanese army with medium tactical vehicles

Key Points
  • The U.S. State Department approved a potential $90.5 million sale of M1085A2 and M1078A2 tactical vehicles to Lebanon.
  • The sale includes spare parts, training, logistics support, and services for the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The United States State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Lebanon for Medium Tactical Vehicles and associated support, with an estimated cost of $90.5 million.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally notified Congress of the proposed sale on December 5, 2025.

According to DSCA, the Government of Lebanon has requested to purchase a package of M1085A2 5-ton and M1078A2 2.5-ton Medium Tactical Vehicles (MTVs), both without winches. The proposed sale also includes spare and repair parts, technical documentation, personnel training, training equipment, and other elements required for logistics and program support.

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

In a statement, the DSCA said, “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”

The requested equipment is expected to enhance Lebanon’s ability to address both current and emerging threats. The DSCA noted that the vehicles will give the Lebanese Armed Forces improved mobility to respond to perimeter security threats and support anti-terrorism operations. The added tactical capability will also facilitate increased operational training with U.S. forces.

As explained in the DSCA announcement, “The proposed sale will improve Lebanon’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling Lebanese Armed Forces to rapidly engage and defeat perimeter security threats and readily employ counter and anti-terrorism measures.”

The statement added that “Lebanon will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.” The sale is not expected to alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractor for the sale will be Oshkosh Defense, headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. At this stage, there are no offset agreements associated with the deal. The DSCA clarified that “Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.”

The agency also confirmed that the implementation of the sale will not require the deployment of U.S. government or contractor personnel to Lebanon. “There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale,” the DSCA said.

The announcement emphasized that the $90.5 million figure represents the highest possible quantity and value based on Lebanon’s initial request. The final contract value may be lower depending on finalized quantities, funding levels, and the outcome of future negotiations.

Readers who wish to follow our weekly coverage can subscribe to the Weekly Defense Roundup.

If you wish to report a grammatical or factual error in this article, please let us know by using the online form.

Executive Editor

Support The Defence Blog

Independent reporting takes resources. Join us on Patreon.

Become a patron

More Like This

U.S. Navy awards $418 million contract to dismantle its first nuclear carrier

The world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is finally getting torn apart, and this time the Navy is paying more than $118 million less than...

Taiwan ATACMS deal expands island’s long-range strike power

The U.S. Army handed Lockheed Martin roughly $439 million to begin building the Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS, along with the launcher...

Chinese firm publishes satellite images of US Typhon missile system in Japan

MizarVision, a Chinese satellite imagery firm, released additional overhead images showing what it identified as elements of the U.S. Army's Typhon Mid-Range Capability missile...

U.S. Air Force wants 16,450 more long-range missiles, and fast

The U.S. Air Force has told its biggest missile maker to build thousands more long-range weapons than it planned even a week ago, and...

Saudi Arabia cleared to buy 20,000 laser-guided rockets

The U.S. State Department approved a possible arms sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia worth an estimated $1.96 billion, covering up to 10,000...