Lockheed Martin has been awarded an additional $142.6 million to continue sustainment operations for two THAAD missile defense batteries fielded by the United Arab Emirates, expanding an ongoing foreign military sales case to a cumulative value of $876.7 million. The contract covers comprehensive lifecycle support, including logistics coordination, operator and maintainer training, missile and launcher upkeep, systems engineering, surveillance activities, and upgrades to both hardware and software components. Program execution will be centered in the UAE, supported by industrial and engineering efforts across several US states. Scheduled to run through August 2028, the effort will be synchronized with the US Missile Defense Agency to ensure system readiness and operational availability. Developed in the late 1990s, THAAD employs a single-stage kinetic interceptor capable of destroying ballistic missiles through direct impact during re-entry. The system provides coverage out to approximately 193 kilometers and operates at hypersonic speeds. The sustainment extension follows Abu Dhabi’s marking of a decade since adopting THAAD—the first international customer for the system—and comes amid broader investments, including a $2-billion interceptor production contract awarded to Lockheed Martin earlier to replenish and expand the UAE’s missile inventory.
