WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - The US State Department has approved a possible US$2.4 billion (S$3.33 billion) sale of eight KC-46 refuelling tanker jets to Israel, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said on Tuesday (March 3) in an official notification to Congress.

The potential deal is for up to eight of the jets made by Boeing Co as well as spare equipment and radios.

The KC-46 aircraft, which refuels other aircraft mid-air, has been plagued with problems, including foreign object debris found in the planes and issues with the mechanism for delivering fuel.