Reuters: Saudi Arabia to purchase THAAD weapons systems from US

SANAA, April 2 (YPA) -The US company Lockheed Martin is approaching a US Defense Department (Pentagon) contract worth more than $2 billion for the sale of THAAD defensive missiles, some of which are due to be handed over to Saudi Arabia, Reuters quoted informed sources as saying on Monday.

In November, Saudi and U.S. officials signed letters formalizing the terms of the kingdom’s purchase of 44 THAAD launchers, rockets and related equipment.

The Ministry may establish contracts on Monday evening at the earliest, the sources said on condition of anonymity.

Representatives of Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon declined to make comments.

Lockheed Martin, the biggest U.S. arms maker, builds and integrates the THAAD system, which is designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Raytheon, another U.S. firm, builds its advanced radar system.

The deal comes amid the failure of Saudi air defenses, which it has already imported from the U.S., to prevent Yemeni missiles and even drones from reaching the Saudi military positions, which the Yemeni army uses to target Saudi positions in a response to the Saudi aerial bombardments on residential neighborhoods across the country.

Observers in their remarks believe that Saudi Arabia’s need for peace is bigger than need for buying air defenses, especially since Yemen is witnessing remarkable progress in the development and manufacture of weapons.

E.M