The Department of State has approved Kuwait’s request to purchase equipment and support services for the upgrade and recertification of the Middle Eastern nation’s Patriot missiles. The possible foreign military sale is estimated to be valued at $400 million, with RTX to serve as principal contractor, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Thursday.
The decision was made after the State Department made the determination that the sale would have not alter the military balance in the region or have an adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness.
Kuwait’s Patriot FMS
The Kuwaiti government owns and operates Patriot PAC-2 Guidance Enhancement Missiles, or GEM, and Guidance Enhancement Missiles-Tactical, or GEM-T.
PAC-2 GEM are interceptors that can destroy tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft and other airborne threats by launching high-explosive blast fragmentation warheads against enemy systems.
Meanwhile, GEM-T is a PAC-2 variant that can detect low radar signature targets with better seeker sensitivity and offers enhanced detonation near ballistic missiles compared to its predecessors.
The proposed FMS covers all equipment required for the Patriot PAC-2 GEM upgrade and GEM-T recertification. The country has also requested to purchase maintenance, repair and return, training, and other support services.
Global Patriot Orders
In January, RTX also won a contract valued at $529 million to deliver a Patriot air and missile defense system fire unit and associated equipment to the Netherlands. The order replenishes the unit the European nation donated to the Ukrainian government in support of the latter’s fight against Russia.
In August 2024, Germany also ordered $1.2 billion worth of Patriot air and missile defense systems, including Configuration 3+ command and control stations and radars, from RTX to replace the units supplied to Ukraine.
