Missile Sale

Last August, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait of 209 MIM-104E PATRIOT Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T) Missiles for an estimated cost of $900 million.

This morning, Raytheon announced a $145 million portion of that sale, according to a company statement.

The Army's Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL, "issued the contract to complement Kuwait's Configuration-3 radar system upgrade work already underway at Raytheon," the statement reads. Further:

"This new GEM-T missile production contract highlights the efforts by Kuwait Air Defense to maintain readiness and effectiveness of the Patriot Air and Missile System to counter evolving regional threats," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president of Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "We continue to modernize the Patriot system and are committed to providing Kuwait and our 11 other partner nations globally with increased system reliability and reduced life-cycle costs."

According to the Aug. 11, 2010, DSCA announcement:

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO ally which has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

Kuwait needs these missiles to meet current and future threats of enemy air-to-ground weapons. Kuwait will use the increased capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Kuwait will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.