The US Department of State announced on Thursday that it approved the sale of TOW anti-tank missiles to Saudi Arabia. The possible sale is part of a bigger $1 billion package that also includes helicopter maintenance and spare parts for military vehicles. The administration of President Donald Trump told Congress that it planned to approve the deal. Saudi Arabia requested to buy 6,600 TOW missiles and an additional 96 for training for a total of $670 million, the State Department said in a statement. The proposed sale would improve the security of an important ally in the Middle East, it added. “The proposed sale of TOW 2B missiles and technical support will advance Saudi Arabia’s efforts to develop an integrated ground defense capability,” the department said. In addition, the State Department said it had also approved the possible sale worth $300 million of parts for Saudi Arabia’s fleet of Abrams tanks and armored vehicles. The arms announcement was made at a time when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, is on an 18-day trip to the US, which he kicked off on Tuesday by meeting with Trump at the White House. On Thursday, he held talks on regional security and military ties with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the Pentagon.