In the past, some Democrats in Congress might have questioned the propriety of selling high-tech weapons to a government noted for its conservative social policies.
As a benign example of how transatlantic teams can stimulate competition in high-tech weapons making, defence analysts cite the fierce competition to supply Britain with an air-to-ground surveillance system.
The collapse of the oil price, which may not have ended yet, means the government must cut the costly state benefits it showers on its citizens, and spend less on high-tech weapons.