US defence contractor Raytheon has signed a $582.5m contract with the UAE to provide radars, associated spares, training and other services.

This contract will last until 2018 and is the radar component to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defence system. The US’ Lockheed Martin is the contractor for THAAD. Raytheon supports Lockheed in providing logistics and sustainment services.

“The AN/TPY-2 radar will provide the UAE with unprecedented surveillance and defensive capabilities,” says Dave Gulla, vice-president for global integrated sensors at Raytheon integrated defence systems. “With this contract, the UAE becomes the first international customer to acquire the world’s most advanced mobile radar, which better positions the Emirates to defend itself from threats.”

The radar searches, detects, tracks and discriminates threats from non-threats, then delivers data to the THAAD’s fire control and communications element for engagement.

On 30 December, Lockheed Martin signed a $1.96bn contract to provide THAAD weapon system for the UAE. This was the first sale of THAAD to an international customer. The US government and the UAE had been in discussions since 2008 over the purchase of the THAAD system (MEED 22:2:11).