France will supply 30 military helicopters to Kuwait in a deal worth over one billion euros ($1.1 billion) that French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian signed Tuesday (August 9th) in the Gulf state, AFP reported.
The agreement to buy the Airbus Caracal helicopters is part of a 2.5 billion euro ($2.7 billion) package of deals that the two countries agreed in October.
"With this deal, Kuwait further strengthens the strategic partnership which has bound together our two countries for several decades, while we are currently engaged side-by-side in the fight against the 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria," Le Drian said in a statement.
Kuwait's army will use 24 of the helicopters mainly for search and rescue missions and for transport purposes, but they also are fitted with machine guns allowing them to offer ground troops cover from the air.
The Kuwait National Guard will operate the remaining six helicopters.
