DALLAS, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. aerospace company Lockheed Martin said part of a contract for the Patriot missile system includes Kuwait as an international customer.
Lockheed said it received a $308 million contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command for systems and services related to the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 program.
The company said the contract extends from missile and command launch system production for the U.S. Army to include a military sale to Kuwait, which becomes the sixth international customer for the missile system.
"Kuwait's purchase of PAC-3 missiles will provide its defense forces with a superior air and missile defense capability," Richard McDaniel, Lockheed's missile program director, said in a statement Monday. "This is another example of the growing global interest for the PAC-3 missile's capabilities."
Taiwan became the fifth international customer for the missile system in 2009, following Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates in taking possession of the PAC-3.
Lockheed said the entire contract includes 244 "hit-to-kill" missiles, 72 launchers and program management for the system.
