Article Posted on : - Jun 23, 2011

TEWKSBURY (BNS): US defence firm Raytheon has received a contract worth $1.7 billion from Saudi Arabia to upgrade its Patriot air and missile defence systems to the latest configuration-3.

The contract, under the Direct Commercial Sales route, includes ground-system hardware, a full training package and support equipment upgrades.

Subject to customary US regulatory approvals, work under the contract will be performed by Raytheon at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Mass., and in Saudi Arabia, the company said.

Saudi Arabia received the Patriot missile systems from Raytheon in the 1990s.

The long-range Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile system is capable of tracking and shooting down incoming missiles. Equipped with a ‘hit-to-kill’ interceptor, the missile can take on tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft.