UAE to buy Patriot spares through FMS program

The United Arab Emirates will purchase as much as $246 million in spare parts and equipment through the U.S. foreign military sales program to support the Patriot missile system.

The Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., awarded an initial five-year $123 million contract to Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. If all options are exercised, the deal would be worth $246 million.

The parts are a crucial aspect of maintaining the Patriot missile system in a continuous state of readiness, company officials said in a Feb. 9 statement.

The spares contract follows UAE’s $3.3 billion order made through the U.S. government in December to purchase the advanced Patriot system for air and missile defense.

The Patriot is a long-range air defense system designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. It can operate at various altitudes and in adverse weather conditions.

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems of Tewkesbury, Mass., is a unit of Raytheon Co., of Waltham, Mass.