US approves possible $800 million helicopter sale to Iraq

The US State Department announced on Thursday its approval of a possible sale of military helicopters and related equipment to Iraq, with an estimated value of $800 million.

In a statement, the department said the principal contractor for the potential deal would be Bell Textron, based in Fort Worth, Texas.

The agreement comes as part of ongoing defense cooperation between the United States and Iraq, with the State Department's approval representing a key step toward completing the potential sale.