Antiaircraft missiles to be sold to Jordan
| Washington
The Reagan administration has informally notified Congress it intends to sell the first installment of 1,613 Stinger shoulder-held antiaircraft missiles to Jordan, a senior US official said Friday.
The official told reporters Jordan's air defense capability had declined dramatically in relation to the potential threat to its security - notably from Syria, which has been re-equipped by the Soviet Union. ''We view this as a legitimate defense requirement,'' the official said.
The notification to Congress was for the sale of 315 missiles and launchers plus 98 reserve missiles in the first installment. The total sale of 1,613 Stingers is worth about $40 million.
