U.S. approves $34.5M Humvee sale to Lebanon

The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Lebanon involving M1151A1 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles and related equipment, with an estimated value of $34.5 million, according to a notification delivered to Congress.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification informing lawmakers of the proposed sale on December 16, 2025. The approval covers the transfer of additional armored vehicles and associated support aimed at strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces’ mobility and internal security capabilities.

According to the notification, the Government of Lebanon has requested to purchase an additional ninety M1151A1 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles, commonly known as HMMWVs. These vehicles will be added to a previously implemented Foreign Military Sales case whose value was below the congressional notification threshold. That earlier case, valued at $12.26 million, including $10.85 million in major defense equipment, involved the delivery of fifty M1151A1 HMMWVs.

With the newly approved request, the combined total rises to one hundred forty M1151A1 vehicles. The State Department said the expanded package reflects updated Lebanese requirements and consolidates the earlier case with the new request under a single notification.

In addition to the vehicles themselves, the proposed sale includes a range of non-major defense equipment items and support services. These include RF-7850M-HH multiband handheld radios, Global Positioning System receivers, and the Quicklook electronic counter-countermeasures waveform. The package also covers spare parts, repair parts, publications, technical documentation, training, and U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, along with other related elements of logistics and program support.

The State Department said the 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 and economic stability in the Middle East.”

According to the notification, the vehicles will provide the Lebanese Armed Forces with a highly mobile and light combat vehicle capability. This is intended to allow Lebanese units to rapidly engage and defeat perimeter security threats and to employ counter- and anti-terrorism measures more effectively. The State Department also noted that the acquisition will support additional military-to-military tactics development and operational training between the U.S. Army and Lebanese leadership and soldiers.

U.S. officials assessed that Lebanon “will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” citing existing experience with similar equipment and ongoing cooperation programs. The notification further states that the proposed sale “will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

AM General, based in South Bend, Indiana, has been identified as the principal contractor for the potential sale. The U.S. government said it is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with the deal. Any such agreement, if pursued, would be negotiated directly between the Lebanese government and the contractor.

The State Department also said that implementing the proposed sale will not require the assignment of additional U.S. government or contractor representatives to Lebanon. Officials added that there will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of the transaction.

As with other Foreign Military Sales cases, the figures provided represent the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. The notification notes that the final cost could be lower, depending on Lebanon’s final requirements, available budget authority, and the terms of any signed sales agreements, if and when they are concluded.