America's Congress has been notified of the Pentagon's plans to sell the UAE a missile defence system with an estimated value of US$6.95 billion (Dh25.5bn), an arm of the US Department of Defense has confirmed. The move is the next step towards bringing to fruition the sale of the Theater High Altitude Air Defence (THAAD) system, which is designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles at high altitude, providing coverage over a wide area.
US Congress was notified of the proposed sale, along with Patriot PAC-3 missiles, AMRAM missiles and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, last week. It now has 30 days to raise objections. The Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) said the proposed sale of the missile defence system was for three fire units, four radars sets, six fire and control communication stations and nine missile launchers. "The estimated cost is $6.95bn," the agency said.
"The proposed sale of the weapons will strengthen the effectiveness and interoperability of a potential coalition partner, reduce the dependence on US forces in the region and enhance any coalition operations the US may undertake." Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corporation is the principal contractor, and Raytheon Corporation the subcontractor. The PAC-3 missiles, valued at $121 million, would be used to test missiles that had previously been requested by the UAE, the DSCA said.
The agency also notified Congress of a possible sale to the UAE of 288 AIM-120-C-7 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and 128 launchers. "The total value if all options are exercised could be as high as $445m," it said. The proposed helicopter sale would be for 14 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters with engines, spares, countermeasures and weapons. The DSCA said the deal would be worth $774m if all options were exercised.
It said the UAE would use the helicopters to protect its borders, and US and coalition bases. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and General Electric would be the main contractors. Missile systems have been advocated by the Bush administration as a way to protect Gulf countries from any threat from Iranian missiles, although the UAE and other countries considering the systems have not specified particular threats they might be guarding against.
The system would take at least a year to put into place and the term of the contract would run for several years, according to people familiar with the deal. The arms purchase request comes at a delicate time as US officials seek ways to pressure Iran, which America views as a threat to the Gulf and determined to develop nuclear weapons. Iranian officials have denied any desire to build nuclear weapons, and say they aim to build a nuclear power industry.
For several decades, the UAE's main perceived threat was an air attack launched from Iraq, but since the fall of Saddam Hussein that perception has shifted to Iran. The missile system would bolster the country's defences as it phases out the US-made Hawk missile system from Raytheon. * with Agence France-Presse @Email:business@thenational.ae