IDEX: Raytheon THAAD deal closer than expected for UAE

The newspaper quotes Jim Bedingfield, Director of the Missile Defence and Space Program at Raytheon, as saying the US company is close to signing a contract with the UAE for the delivery of THAAD which offers a technology much more advanced than the Patriot system which is due for delivery later this year..

"We do the radar and partner with Lockheed Martin to provide an integrated system against longer-range threats than tactical ballistic missiles," Bedingfield said.

"We are working with the US and Emirati governments and their defence departments to arrive at a contract this year," Bedingfield was quoted as saying..

Raytheon will deliver the first set of components of the Patriot air and missile defence system to the UAE this year.

In December 2008, the UAE and the US governments signed an agreement under which the UAE will get delivery of the Patriot air and missile defence system in a $3.3 billion (Dh12 billion) deal. The system is also being used in Kuwait.

Patriot delivers a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather system to defeat advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Senior Raytheon executives are at IDEX where they are hoping to increase sales of the systems to other Gulf states,