Lockheed secures $3.3b deal to deliver PAC-3 to Saudi Arabia

PAC-3 missiles are high-velocity interceptors against incoming threats, including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircrafts.

Thirteen nations –Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, Romania, Taiwan, UAE and United States– have chosen PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE (Missile Segment Enhancement) to provide missile defense capabilities.

The upgraded PAC-3 MSE expands the lethal battlespace with a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, providing increased performance in altitude and range. PAC-3 MSE is a high-velocity interceptor against incoming threats, including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircrafts.

The missile uses Hit-to-Kill technology, which engages threats through kinetic energy via body-to-body contact. In words of Jay Pitman, vice president of PAC-3 programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, "PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE give our customers unmatched, combat-proven hit-to-kill technology to address growing and evolving threats. PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE are proven, trusted and reliable interceptors that employ hit-to-kill accuracy, lethality and enhanced safety to address dangers around the world."

(Read more)

PAC-3 Missile Round Trainers for Kuwait

The US Army Contracting Command proposes to issue a sole source contract to T-FAB Manufacturing Group, 229 Palmer Rd, Madison, AL 35758 for 7 PAC-3 Missile Round Trainers, Part Number 13610379-001, for Kuwait. (Read more)

Israel strikes missile shipment

Israeli warplanes hit a convoy of advanced missiles heading out of Syria and into Lebanon, a Kuwaiti newspaper reported on Wednesday. (Read more)

Lockheed Martin Conducts Successful PAC-3 Missile Flight Test

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] conducted a successful PAC-3 Missile flight test yesterday at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., in which PAC-3 successfully detected, tracked and intercepted an aerodynamic, threat-representative tactical ballistic missile target.

The ripple fire engagement of two PAC-3 Missiles resulted in the first interceptor destroying the target.  The second PAC-3 Missile was self-destructed on command as planned.“The PAC-3 Missile continues to deliver proven, reliable performance along with unmatched lethality. The capability PAC-3 provides continues to draw significant interest from a number of international customers.” said Richard McDaniel, vice president of PAC-3 programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

Lockheed Martin recently received a $308 million contract for continued production of the PAC-3 Missile for the U.S. and Kuwait. The Fiscal Year (FY13) contract includes missile and command launch system production for the U.S. Army and a first time Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of the PAC-3 Missile to Kuwait. Kuwait becomes the sixth international customer for the PAC-3 Missile. Lockheed Martin is prime contractor on the PAC-3 Missile Segment of the PATRIOT air defense system.

The PAC-3 Missile is one of the world’s most advanced, capable and reliable theater air defense missiles. It defends against advanced tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. As the most technologically advanced missile for the PATRIOT air defense system, PAC-3 significantly increases the PATRIOT system’s firepower, as 16 PAC-3s can be loaded in place of only four legacy PATRIOT PAC-2 missiles on the PATRIOT launcher. 

Lockheed Martin is a world leader in systems integration and the development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, including the first operational hit-to-kill missile.  It also has considerable experience in missile design and production, infrared seekers, command and control/battle management, and communications, precision pointing and tracking optics, as well as radar and signal processing.  The company makes significant contributions to all major U.S. missile defense systems and participates in several global missile defense partnerships.

Raytheon gana un contrato de 200 millones de dólares

Raytheon ha ganado un contrato por valor de 200.504.841 dólares para el suministro de 541 misiles (354 unidades AIM-9X Sidewinder + 187 unidades de entrenamiento aereo) y equipos asociados, con destino a a la US Navy, la USAF y los ejércitos de Arabia Saudí, Kuwait, Malasia, Marruecos, Oman y Suiza.

Lockheed proporciona detalles de la venta de misiles a Kuwait

Desde Enero venían circulando rumores y especulaciones acerca de un contrato entre Lockheed Martin y un misterioso comprador de oriente medio.

Hoy ya es público que se trata de un contrato firmado con el gobierno de Kuwait para el suministro de 244 unidades PAC-3 además de 72 kits de modificación de lanzaderas, equipamiento asociado y servicios de gestión y mantenimiento.

Esta será la primera venta de PAC-3 a Kuwait, que se convierte así en el sexto cliente más importante de la multinacional norteamericana. Otros clientes clave de los PAC-3 son Alemania, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Holanda, Japón y Taiwan. Desde luego la operación ha sido un éxito para Kuwait pues en este caso el coste unitario de cada misil se ha estimado en 1,26 millones de dólares, lo cual está muy por debajo de los 2-3 millones que normalmente viene costando un misil Patriot.

The Gulf Union: defense first

 

In 2011, when Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah announced the intention to create the Gulf Union, one facet of the initiative stood out immediately—that of defense. The idea of the Gulf Union is to unify many aspects of the GCC under a new mantle, across a number of fields from economics to social issues to defense. We must not forget that defense is the one aspect of the GCC states that is unbreakable and a necessary component in a changing and evolving regional security environment. (Read more)