The US Department of War has awarded Lockheed Martin Space a contract worth more than $211 million to manufacture additional THAAD missile defence systems for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Pentagon said the $211.4 million award is a modification to a previously awarded contract under the US Foreign Military Sales programme for the UAE.
"Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, is being awarded a $211,435,067 modification ... under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case to the United Arab Emirates," the US Department of War said in a statement.
The latest modification brings the total value of the contract to approximately $1.05 billion.
Under the agreement, Lockheed Martin will manufacture and produce new Configuration 3 (C3) THAAD launchers for the UAE.
The work is scheduled to be completed by January 2031.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles during their terminal phase, providing a layer of protection against short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats.
The UAE has been operating THAAD systems as part of its broader air and missile defence network, making it one of the key US partners in the region to field the system.
The new launchers are expected to further strengthen the UAE's ability to detect and intercept incoming ballistic missile threats amid heightened security tensions across the Middle East.
The contract forms part of Washington's ongoing defence cooperation with the UAE through the Foreign Military Sales programme, under which the US supplies American-made defence equipment and related services to foreign partners.
