Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, fire the MIM-104 Patriot to destroy a drone target Jul. 16, 2021, at Camp Growl in Queensland, Australia, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alyssa Chuluda).
By Matthew Beinart |
@mbeinart22
2 years ago |
08/02/2022

The State Department has approved a potential $3 billion sale of Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia and a nearly $2.3 billion deal for THAAD missile defense capabilities with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on Tuesday of both foreign military sales.

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, fire the MIM-104 Patriot to destroy a drone target Jul. 16, 2021, at Camp Growl in Queensland, Australia, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alyssa Chuluda).

The deal with Saudi Arabia is intended to replenish the country’s “dwindling stock” of Patriot MIM-104E GEM-T missiles, the DSCA said, with Riyadh having requested 300 of the Raytheon Technologies [RTX]-built missiles.

“These missiles are used to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s borders against persistent Houthi cross-border unmanned aerial system and ballistic missile attacks on civilian sites and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. These attacks threaten the well-being of Saudi, International, and U.S. citizens (approximately 70,000) residing in the Kingdom,” the DSCA said in a statement. 

For the UAE, the new FMS case covers 96 Lockheed Martin [LMT]-manufactured THAAD missile rounds, two launch control stations and two tactical operations stations. 

“The proposed sale will improve the UAE’s ability to meet current and future ballistic missile threats in the region, and reduce dependence on U.S. forces,” the DCSA wrote.