The U.S. State Department said Friday that it had approved the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS), of 103 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II tactical missiles and 10 AIM-9X Block II tactical guidance units, along with related equipment and support. The estimated total cost of the package is $125 million.
The State Department said the proposed sale would support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the security of South Korea, which it described as "an important force for political stability and economic progress" in the Indo-Pacific region.
Washington also said the sale would improve South Korea's ability to respond to current and future threats by expanding its air defense capability and "deterring aggression in the region," while ensuring interoperability with U.S. forces.
The principal contractor for the proposed sale will be RTX Corp., the Virginia-based U.S. defense company whose Raytheon business manufactures the Sidewinder missile.
The AIM-9X is the latest generation of the Sidewinder family of short-range, infrared-guided air-to-air missiles and is widely used by U.S. and allied fighter aircraft.
South Korea already operates AIM-9X missiles on several of its U.S.-designed fighter aircraft, including the F-15K, KF-16 and F-35A.
The latest authorization adds to a series of previous U.S. approvals for South Korean acquisitions of the Sidewinder.
The approval also comes as Washington and Seoul face questions over the future scale of their joint military exercises. U.S. President Donald Trump this week instructed the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" joint drills with South Korea, citing their cost and describing them as unnecessarily hostile toward North Korea, even as the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise began as scheduled.
The State Department's decision does not mean the transaction has been finalized. Under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process, the proposed sale is subject to congressional notification and review before a final agreement can be concluded.
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