WASHINGTON

The US State Department approved the potential sale of remotely piloted aircraft to Qatar, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The estimated cost of the sale is $1.96 billion.

"The proposed sale will improve Qatar’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing timely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, target acquisition, counter-land, and counter-surface sea capabilities for its security and defense," it said in a statement.

The principal contractors will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, L3Harris, Inc., Boeing Corporation and Leonardo SpA, it said.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the potential sale Wednesday.