Raytheon nabs $10.8M contract to support Kuwait's Patriot missiles

Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A division of Raytheon Co. was awarded a $10.8 million contract modification for work on Kuwait's Patriot missile system, the U.S. Defense Department announced.

Raytheon Southeast Asia Systems Co. will offer technical assistance, planning, training, maintenance and sustainment to Kuwait, in addition to pertinent equipment and logistics support.

Kuwait is equipped with an unknown number of land-based PAC-2 medium range Patriot air defense missiles and PAC-3 ground-based/mobile Patriot missiles. It also has variations of the older, Italian-made Spada air defense system and its predecessor, the U.S.-made Skyguard ground based air defense system.

Its defense ministry has also requested two more Patriot batteries and 100 missiles in light of a growing threat from Iran.

The contract announced by the Defense Department on Thursday calls for work to be done at Raytheon's facility in Andover, Mass., with a completion date of Dec. 31, 2020.

Bahrain, a neighbor of Kuwait and partner in Arab-coalition military missions, agreed to purchase the Patriot missile defense system, manufacturer Raytheon Co. announced on Aug. 14.

In May, the State Department endorsed Bahrain's interest in the system and other military equipment from the U.S. Army, approving a deal carrying an estimated cost of $2.47 billion, with options to purchase other material that would push the order past $6 billion.