Saudis seek PAC-2 recertification

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia has asked the United States for technical services to recertify the functional shelf life of its Patriot missiles.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the recertification would be for as many as 300 Patriot Advanced Capability-2 missiles and would be provided under a Foreign Military Sales contract worth an estimated $130 million.

Included in the modernization arrangement, if approved by Congress, would be associated equipment, parts and provision of logistics support.

"The proposed recertification program will allow the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces to extend the shelf life of the PAC-2 missiles in its inventory for an additional 12 years," the agency said. "The proposed recertification program will not alter the basic military balance in the region."

Raytheon would be the prime contractor and would perform the recertification process at a U.S. Army depot in Pennsylvania.

The agency said only one contractor representative would need to travel Saudi Arabia on an extended basis for missile assembly/disassembly support, system checkout, training and other support.