WASHINGTON: The Trump administration on Tuesday approved sale to India of up to 13 MK 45 naval guns and related equipment worth an estimated cost of $1.0210 billion.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on November 19 after the State Department made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of the big naval guns and related equipment.

The MK 45 is a naval artillery gun designed for use against surface warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment to support amphibious operations. The gun mount features an automatic loader with a capacity of 20 rounds that can be fired under full automatic control, taking a little over a minute to exhaust those rounds at maximum fire rate.

The DSCA said in a statement that the Government of India has requested to buy up to thirteen (13) MK 45 5 inch/62 caliber (MOD 4) naval guns, three thousand five hundred (3,500) D349 projectile ammunition, plus other ammunition, spare parts, personnel training and equipment training, publications and technical data, transportation, US Government and contractor technical assistance and related logistics support worth $1.0210 billion.

The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, the DSCA explained, adding that the MK-45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti­-surface warfare and anti-air defense missions while enhancing interoperability with U.S. and other allied forces.

India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense, it added.

This proposed sale, DSCA said, will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a strategic regional partner. India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence, it added, while offering the standard caveat that the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

Only close US allies such as Japan, South Korea, and Turkey have the MK 45 system.

The principal contractor for the weapons will be BAE Systems Land and Armaments, Minneapolis,

with gun manufacturing in Louisville, Kentucky.