The US State Department has approved and notified Congress on the sale of $20m-worth of defence equipment to Qatar.

The purchase includes 50 Javelin guided missiles and 10 command launch units, along with associated equipment, training and support.

Other items included in the sale are 10 Javelin missile simulation rounds, one enhanced basic skills trainer (EPBST) along with 12 non-rechargeable batteries, and other storage and charger or discharger equipment.

The sale will also include 24-month technical and life-cycle support, which will include personnel, services, materials, facilities, equipment, maintenance and supply support.

Equipment accounts for $15m of the expected sale, with the remaining value accounted for by support and services.

The US’ Lockheed Martin has been identified as the principal contractor for the sale.

Qatar is a member of the Saudi-led coalition that launched a military intervention in Yemen in early 2015. It sent about 1,000 soldiers supported by 200 armoured vehicles and 30 Apache helicopters into Yemen in September 2015.

Most GCC states have been reinforcing their defence and security capacity in view of rising instability across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s defence spending, for instance, has been growing by an average of 19 per cent a year since 2001.

Collectively, the Middle East is understood to have spent $205bn on military and defence in 2015.