Until the early 1980s, United States aid to Chad had been restricted to shipments of food and development assistance. The United States had declined to become involved on behalf of any of the Chadian factions and had no desire to supplant France, which had shouldered the principal Western responsibility in Chad.

Military equipment valued at US$10 million reportedly was delivered in 1981 and 1982, mainly from Sudanese and Egyptian stocks (later replenished) to enable Habré to regroup and rearm after his forces had been driven into eastern Chad by the combined forces of GUNT and Libya. The United States also offered US$12 million to the IAF in 1980, but only 75 percent of that amount was spent. The United States viewed Libyan expansionism as the cause of the Chadian crisis of 1983 and sought to check Libyan involvement. Accordingly, in April 1983 Washington negotiated an agreement with N'Djamena to provide training in the United States for Chadian personnel in a number of military specialties. In July of the same year, the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement was signed, which provided for sending military equipment to Chad.

In August 1983, Washington authorized US$25 million emergency aid package to help the Habré government, including the delivery of Redeye antiaircraft missiles and missile launchers. Three United States specialists visited Chad briefly to train Chadians in the use of the equipment. As a further symbol of American concern, two Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, with support crews and fighter escorts, were sent to Sudan for possible deployment in conjunction with French combat aircraft. The AWACS aircraft, however, were not deployed and were withdrawn after about two weeks.

In United States fiscal years (FY) 1984 through 1987, United States military aid to Chad totaled about US$70 million an additional US$9 million was proposed for FY 1988. Expenditures for training were about US$200,000 annually. Most of the assistance consisted of transport aircraft and aircraft maintenance, small arms, ammunition, trucks, jeeps, antiaircraft and antitank weapons, uniforms, first aid kits, and food rations. The United States also cooperated with France in the air delivery of items deemed critical. For example, in January 1986 the United States Air Force ferried a Hawk missile battery from France to N'Djamena.

Data as of December 1988