The U.S. State Department today approved the sale of 600 patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia at a cost of $5.3 billion, according to reports.
The additional additional PAC-3 missiles for Saudi Arabia will be built by Lockheed Martin Corp.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has requested a possible sale of six hundred (600) Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) Missiles with containers, eight (8) PAC-3 CRI Test Missiles for fly-to-buy. Also included are PAC-3 Telemetry Kits, PAC-3 Guidance Enhanced Missile (GEM) Flight Test Target/Patriot as a Target (PAAT) missiles, Fire Solution Computers, Launcher Modification Kits, PAC-3 Missile Round Trainers, PAC-3 Slings, Patriot Automated Logistics System (PALS) Kits, Shorting Plugs, spare and repair parts, lot validation and range support, support equipment, repair and return, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, Quality Assurance Team, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $5.4 billion.
“The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a partner which has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”
PAC-3 Missiles. Graphic via LockheedMartin.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the sale “would benefit a key U.S. partner in the Middle East. The notification to Congress was sent on Tuesday.
The U.S. State Department has also made a determination approving a possible sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia “for ammunition for the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $500 million.”
