The United States has approved a potential sale to South Korea of subsonic sea-skimming aerial targets (SSAT) used for shipborne air defense training, as well as other related items, to help improve the Asian ally's defense capabilities, a government agency said Thursday. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the Department of Defense made the announcement on the potential government-to-government Foreign Military Sale (FMS) estimated to cost US$170.6 million. South Korea has made a request to buy various items, including five BQM-177A SSATs for Aegis destroyers, GQM-163 target drones, classified books and other publications, and related elements of logistics and program support, according to the agency. The BQM-177A is an advanced recoverable aerial target system that imitates advanced subsonic anti-ship cruise missile threats to test the effectiveness of shipboard air defense systems, according to the U.S. Navy. "This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national secur ity objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region," DSCA said in a press release. "The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea's capability to meet current and future threats by performing Combat System Ship Qualification Trials for its new KDX-III Batch-II Aegis-class destroyers," it added. DSCA delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale earlier in the day as the sale requires congressional endorsement. Source: Yonhap News Agency