The US has approved the sale of 300 Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia in a $3.05 billion deal. According to Arab media, a statement issued by the Pentagon said that Riyadh requested the Guidance Enhanced Missile Tactical Ballistic Missile (GEM-T), and the sale would include other tools and test equipment, the proposed sale to the US. It will support foreign policy goals and national security objectives and enhance the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic development in the Gulf region.
The sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s ability to deal with current and future threats, citing missile strikes, according to a report published by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The Houthis doubled the number of attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia during the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.
Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command announced that it has begun planning Exercise EAGLE RESOLVE 23, a scenario-based command post exercise (CPX) in conjunction with Field Training Exercises (FTX) scheduled for May-June 2023 in Saudi Arabia. ), this will be the 16th iteration of the annual exercise, designed to develop a joint task force to respond to current and emerging regional threats in the Middle East.
The US State Department also approved another $2.25 billion contract for 96 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile rounds to the United Arab Emirates, the Pentagon said. Requested to purchase a Control Station (LCS) and 2 Tactical Operations Stations (TOS), the proposed sale will improve the UAE’s ability to counter current and future ballistic missile threats in the region.
