- The United States Army awarded Raytheon a $183.7 million contract to provide hardware and support services for the Patriot air defense system operated by the United Arab Emirates under a Foreign Military Sales program.
- The contract comes as UAE air defenses continue intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles and drones during ongoing attacks targeting the country.
The United States Army has awarded Raytheon a $184 million contract to provide hardware, installation, and support services for the Patriot air defense system operated by the United Arab Emirates, according to an official contract announcement.
The contract comes as the United Arab Emirates faces repeated missile and drone attacks attributed to Iran, underscoring the role of the Patriot system in defending critical infrastructure and population centers in the Gulf region.
Raytheon, based in Andover, Massachusetts, received the firm-fixed-price contract under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case designated AE-B-ZUW. The agreement covers new kit hardware and a range of services tied to the Patriot air defense program.
According to the contract notice, the work will include procurement, installation, inspection, logistics support, program management, and additional technical assistance related to Patriot system operations.
The value of the current contract action is $183,682,456, while the total cumulative face value of the broader contract effort reaches $281,146,668.
The contract was awarded after bids were solicited via the internet, with one proposal received.
The United States Army Contracting Command – Aviation Logistics at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity overseeing the agreement.
Work under the contract will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of March 3, 2031. Fiscal 2026 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $183,682,456 were obligated at the time of award.
The Patriot air defense system is one of the United States’ primary ground-based missile defense platforms and has been widely exported to allied countries through the Foreign Military Sales program.
The system is designed to detect, track, and intercept incoming threats including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft.
Patriot batteries rely on radar systems, command-and-control stations, and interceptor missiles to engage targets before they reach their intended destination.
The new support contract for the United Arab Emirates comes amid heightened tensions in the region and ongoing attacks involving ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
On March 5, the UAE Ministry of Defence reported that the country’s air defense systems detected and intercepted multiple incoming threats.
According to the ministry, seven ballistic missiles were detected, with six intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems. One ballistic missile fell inside the country.
The ministry also reported that air defenses detected 131 drones during the same period, intercepting 125 of them, while six drones fell within UAE territory.
The UAE Ministry of Defence stated that the attacks were linked to what it described as “blatant Iranian aggression.”
Officials also provided cumulative figures for attacks since the beginning of the confrontation.
According to the ministry, 196 ballistic missiles have been launched toward the UAE, of which 181 were destroyed by air defense systems. Thirteen missiles fell into the sea, while two landed inside the country.
In addition to ballistic missile threats, the ministry reported that 1,072 Iranian drones have been detected since the start of the attacks.
Of those, 1,001 were intercepted by air defense systems, while 71 drones fell within UAE territory.
The ministry also said that eight cruise missiles had been detected and destroyed by air defense systems.
The attacks resulted in casualties and injuries among civilians living in the country.