Overview
- A State Department estimate shared with Axios puts the delayed approvals above $5 billion after 40 days of shutdown.
- The pause covers foreign military sales as well as export licenses for private U.S. defense companies.
- Affected equipment includes AMRAAM missiles, Aegis combat systems and HIMARS for partners such as Denmark, Croatia and Poland.
- The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has been operating at roughly one-quarter staffing, slowing required briefings to Capitol Hill.
- State and congressional leaders warned the delays undercut allies' security and the U.S. industrial base, and reporting notes such sales are often later used to support Ukraine though current end users are not publicly identified.