Raytheon to supply Patriot systems to Qatar

Raytheon will produce fire units of the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System for the State of Qatar as part of a US government foreign military sale (FMS). The $2.4 billion contract was announced on 22 December.

Qatar announced in March 2014 that it would undertake modernisation and recapitalisation efforts of its armed forces. The Patriot fire units are a key aspect of this project, with Patriot to form the cornerstone of Qatar's advanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability.

The latest Patriot fire units feature increased computing power and radar processing efficiency, improved man-machine interface and reduced life-cycle costs. 

Earlier in December, Raytheon announced a US Air Force contract to provide the state of Qatar with an Air and Missile Defense Operations Center (ADOC) which will integrate US air defence systems including Patriot, the Early Warning Radar, and THAAD; with European air defence systems and radars and Qatar's Air Operation Center.

Dan Crowley, president integrated defense systems, Raytheon, said: ‘This award is yet another example of the trust countries around the world place in the combat-proven Patriot. As our customer base continues to grow, our global partners benefit from the shared costs for system upgrades and enhancements through Raytheon's unique Engineering Services Program. This ensures that Patriot remains at the highest level of readiness to counter current and evolving threats anywhere in the world.’