Kuwait getting Patriot missiles

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The Raytheon Co. is producing Patriot missile systems for Kuwait under a $145 million Foreign Military Sales contract.

The order for Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missiles -- Tactical came from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.

The new missiles will complement Kuwait's Configuration-3 radar system upgrade work under way at Raytheon.

"This new GEM-T missile production contract highlights the efforts by Kuwait Air Defense to maintain readiness and effectiveness of the Patriot Air and Missile System to counter evolving regional threats," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president of Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

"We continue to modernize the Patriot system and are committed to providing Kuwait and our 11 other partner nations globally with increased system reliability and reduced life-cycle costs."

Raytheon said work under the contract will be performed by its Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Mass.