IDEX 2019: Raytheon contract to deliver Patriot missiles to UAE.

During the first day of IDEX 2019, International Defense Exhibition that was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE from the 17 to 21 February 2019, it was announced that the American Company Raytheon has won US $353 million contract to supply Patriot missiles for the UAE Air Force and UAE Air Defense Force.

U.S. Army Patriot Launch Station operator/maintainers rom Bravo Battery, 1-43 Air Defense Artillery, hold a tag line to keep a missle canister steady during a guided-missile transporter reload certification activity at a non-disclosed Southwest Asia location, Feb. 12, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michelle Larche)

In May 2017, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Patriot PAC-3 and GEM-T missiles.

The Government of the United Arab Emirates has requested the possible sale of sixty (60) Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missiles with canisters and one hundred (100) Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) missiles. Also included are canisters, tools and test equipment, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, spare and repair parts, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $2 billion.

According to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institut) arms trade database, UAE has purchased 9 Patriot PAC-3 ground-based launcher units from United States in 2008 that were delivered from 2012 to 2014, as well as 216 MIM-104C PAC-2 (Patriot GEM-T) and 292 MIM-104F PAC-3 missiles.

The PAC-3 missile evolved from the Strategic Defense Initiative's ERINT missile, and so it is dedicated almost entirely to the anti-ballistic missile mission. Due to miniaturization, a single canister can hold four PAC-3 missiles (as opposed to one PAC-2 missile per canister). The PAC-3 missile is also more maneuverable than previous variants, due to 180 tiny pulse solid propellant rocket motors mounted in the forebody of the missile (called Attitude Control Motors, or ACMs) which serve to fine align the missile trajectory with its target to achieve hit-to-kill capability. However, the most significant upgrade to the PAC-3 missile is the addition of a Ka band active radar seeker.

Guidance Enhanced Missile TBM (GEM-T) is the latest in-production series of the highly successful Raytheon Patriot™ missile variants available to both U.S. forces and international customers. GEM-T deliveries to the U.S. Army began in 2006. This capability adds a low-noise oscillator for improved acquisition and tracking performance in clutter. The GEM-T missile provides an upgraded capability to defeat tactical ballistic missile (TBM), aircraft and cruise missile threats in complement to the PAC-3 missile.