The US is trying to push through multi-billion dollar arms sales contracts with Saudi Arabia before President Trump's forthcoming kingdom visit, a report says.

The nations want to improve relationships which became strained under the Obama administration partly due to its nuclear deal with Saudi foe Iran.

More than $1bn worth of munitions including armour-piercing Penetrator Warheads and Paveway laser-guided bombs made by Raytheon are among the contracts being negotiated, said Reuters.

The Obama administration had suspended the planned Raytheon sale because of concerns over civilian casualties in the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

However, the US has been the main supplier for most Saudi military needs in recent years, from F-15 fighter jets to command-and-control systems.


President Trump has vowed to stimulate the American economy by boosting manufacturing jobs.

Image: US President Donald Trump is due to visit Saudi Arabia later this month

Reuters said among the other proposed deals were:

:: A Lockheed Martin-built missile defence system like the one that recently became operational in South Korea.

:: A Lockheed Martin software system for battle command-and-control and communications, as well as a package of satellite capabilities.

:: Combat vehicles made by UK company BAE Systems, including the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and M109 artillery vehicle.

Also under negotiation is an $11.5bn package of four multi-mission surface combatant ships, approved by the US state department in 2015 but which never went to final contract.

If a deal goes through, it would be the first sale of a new small surface warship to a foreign power in decades.

A US-Saudi working group reportedly met at the White House on Monday and Tuesday to negotiate Mr Trump's trip to the kingdom this month, as well as financing for military equipment sales and stopping terrorist financing.

And Saudi foreign minister Adel al Jubeir and other Saudi officials met US politicians on Thursday, including senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin on the foreign relations committee.

Image: A building damaged in a Saudi-led airstrike in Yemen

Any major foreign weapons sale is subject to being checked by Congress.

Politicians must take into consideration a legal requirement that Israel must maintain its military edge over its neighbours.

A US administration official said the proposed Raytheon sale was still under review, while other officials said it was US policy not to comment on proposed American defence sales until Congress had been formally told.

BAE and Raytheon declined to comment, while Lockheed said such sales are government-to-government decisions.