Washington has approved the sale of more than 80 precision missiles to Finland worth a total of $323 million, the State Department said on Monday, as the traditionally neutral country prepares to join NATO, AFP reported.

The Finnish government wants to buy 40 tactical missiles and 48 guided bombs to equip its fighter fleet, and the sale of the sensitive equipment had to be approved by the US government, the State Department said in a statement.

The AIM 9X Block II Missile, known as the “Sidewinder,” is a short-range, infrared-guided air-to-air missile manufactured by Raytheon.

AGM-154 JSOW (“Joint standoff weapon”) is a high-precision medium-range bomb, also produced by Raytheon.

“This proposed sale will strengthen U.S. foreign policy and national security by strengthening the security of a trusted partner that is an important factor in political stability and economic progress around the world,” the State Department said in a statement.

If confirmed, the arms sale would “enhance Finland’s air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities” and Finland would “have no difficulty integrating them into its armed forces.”

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden submitted a joint application to join the Atlantic alliance in May, abandoning decades of military nonalignment.

The request, which must be unanimously accepted by all 30 NATO member states, was ratified by all countries except Turkey and Hungary.