Lockheed Martin to produce more ballistic missile defence interceptors for US and Saudis
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system at Fort Hood, Texas. (Photo: US Army/Sgt Brandon Banzhaf)
The latest THAAD contract modification will see Lockheed Martin produce more interceptors and one-shot devices for the DoD and Saudi Arabia.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has obtained a $1.4 billion contract modification via the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to produce Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missiles ‘and associated one-shot devices’ to support the US government and Saudi Arabia, the latter under the FMS programme.
The DoD added on 31 March that work will be performed at five US locations for completion by 1 August 2027.
The latest modification raises the value of the THAAD ballistic missile defence contract to $7.76 billion.
Agreements between GAMI and Lockheed Martin, announced during the World Defense Show in Riyadh in March 2022, will see production in Saudi Arabia of THAAD interceptor launchers and canisters.
The US approved a $15 billion FMS deal in October 2017 to sell THAAD systems and support services to Saudi Arabia, with Lockheed Martin as prime contractor and systems integrator. This was followed in March 2019 by a $945.9 million THAAD support contract for Lockheed Martin from the MDA, and a Phase II THAAD deal worth $610.46 million in March 2021.
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