US to Sell Over $10 Billion of Arms to Saudi Arabia, UAE: Pentagon

Local Editor

The US War Department will sell Patriot missile batteries of $1.57 billion to the Saudi Arabia and rocket launchers of $900 million to the United Arab Emirates [UAE], the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

The initial details of the sale came public in April, and the Pentagon announcement informed Congress of the intention to follow through on the previously reported plans.

"The program 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," the War Security Cooperation Agency said.

The Saudi government had requested the purchase of 202 Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 missiles -- the most sophisticated version of the Patriot anti-missile weapons -- as well as a flight test target, telemetry kits and other related equipment, the agency added.

"The proposed sale will help replenish Saudi's current Patriot missiles which are becoming obsolete and difficult to sustain due to age and the limited availability of repair parts," the agency said.

Moreover, the system "will improve the UAE's capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical infrastructure," according to the War Security Cooperation Agency.

The weapons, which deliver precise and powerful artillery fire at a long range, would also bolster the UAE military's ability to operate with US forces, it noted.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team