The United States announced a $3.5 billion sale of an advanced antimissile interception system to the United Arab Emirates. In a statement released by the U.S. Defense Department, Pentagon press secretary George Little said: “is an important step in improving the region’s security through a regional missile defense architecture.”
The dal marks the first foreign sale of the so-called Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), the only system designed to destroy short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
The United States, under the government-to-government deal, will deliver two THAAD batteries, 96 missiles, two Raytheon Co (RTN.N) AN/TPY-2 radars plus 30 years of spare parts, support and training with contractor logistics support to the UAE.
“Acquisition of this critical defense system will bolster the UAE’s air and missile defense capability and enhance the already robust ballistic missile defense cooperation between the United States and the UAE,” according to the statement.
The THAAD follows a $1.7 billion direct commercial contract this year to upgrade Saudi Arabia’s Patriot antimissile missiles, and a sale this year of 209 advanced Patriot missiles to Kuwait, valued at roughly $900 million, the Defense Department said.
