The State Department approved a possible $2 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Patriot PAC-3 and GEM-T missiles.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the potential sale on May 10.
The request includes up to 60 Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missiles with canisters and 100 Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) missiles.
The FMS also includes canisters, tools and test equipment, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, spare and repair parts, U.S. government and contractor technical, engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The primary contractor for the PAC-3 missiles is Lockheed Martin [LMT] and for the GEM-T missiles is Raytheon [RTN].
The UAE will use the missiles and equipment as a deterrent to regional threats and strengthen homeland defense. DSCA highlighted the UAE has operated the Patriot system since 2003 so it will have no difficulty utilizing these additional missiles.
Implementation of the sale will require additional contractor representatives to travel to the UAE, but additional government personnel are not expected to be required in-country for an extended period of time.
DSCA noted the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM) maintains a field office in the UAE to support UAE Patriot systems.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis met with UAE Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan at the White House yesterday,a week after the Patriot FMS approval. Prince Mohammed is also the deputy supreme commander of the UAE’s armed forces.
The two discussed the U.S.-UAE defense partnership after the crown prince had his first visit with President Trump. At the meeting, the crown prince and Mattis praised the completion of a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement that will last for over 15 years, the Defense Department said.
“The agreement marks a new chapter in our partnership and reflects the breadth and depth of our ongoing cooperation, which is underpinned by the mutual respect we share for the professionalism and efficacy of our armed forces,” Mattis said in a statement.