Arms trade

Pentagon says $2bn sale of missiles to UAE will ‘contribute to US national security’

The US State Department has approved a $2 billion sale of missiles to the United Arab Emirates. The Pentagon says the sale will “contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the US” and won’t alter the “basic military balance in the region.”

The deal would include 60 Patriot PAC-3 missiles, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, as well as 100 GEM-T missiles made by Raytheon.

The Defense Department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement that the sale is “consistent with US initiatives to provide key allies in the region with modern systems that will enhance interoperability with US forces and increase security.”

The agency noted that the proposed deal would also boost the UAE’s capability to meet “current and future aircraft and missile threats.”