Global Security Newswire

U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin has made its first sale to a Middle Eastern nation of the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile defense system, Reuters reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 18).

Sales to the United Arab Emirates are included in a $774 million contract with the U.S. Defense Department and are to be completed by July 2011. Lockheed has agreed to produce 172 PAC-3 interceptors, 42 launcher modification packs and additional material, some of which will go to the U.S. Army, the company said.

The lifetime value of the deal with Abu Dhabi could exceed $1.8 billion, Lockheed said (Reuters, Dec. 23).