UAE buys Patriot missiles

Washington: The United Arab Emirates is the first Middle East customer to buy Lockheed Martin Corp's Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile programme, the company said on Tuesday.

Lockheed said it expects "in excess of $1.8 billion" in PAC-3 business over the life of the initial UAE programme.

The UAE purchase is part of a $774 million Pentagon contract, in which Lockheed will supply PAC-3 missiles to the US Army as well as the first sale to the UAE. Deliveries are to be completed by July 2011.

Other foreign buyers of the PAC-3 missile system, which is designed to destroy enemy missiles by colliding with them, include Germany, Japan and the Netherlands, the company said.

The new contract includes production of 172 PAC-3 missiles, 42 launcher modification kits and other equipment, Lockheed said.