The United States has approved a $142.6 million contract modification for Lockheed Martin to continue sustaining the United Arab Emirates’ THAAD missile defense system, underscoring the system’s central role in Gulf air and missile defense planning. Awarded under the Foreign Military Sales framework, the agreement reflects ongoing U.S. efforts to bolster allied defenses against evolving ballistic missile threats across the Middle East.
The modification raises the cumulative value of the UAE THAAD sustainment contract to nearly $876.7 million. Under the deal, Lockheed Martin Space will deliver end-to-end sustainment services, including training support, logistics management, missile and launcher maintenance, software development, and field surveillance. The work will be performed at facilities in the United States and within the UAE, ensuring uninterrupted operational readiness between January 2026 and August 2028.
Deployed to counter short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, THAAD employs kinetic interceptors to destroy incoming threats at high altitudes, extending the defended battlespace beyond that of conventional air defense systems. In the UAE, THAAD is integrated into a layered air defense architecture alongside Patriot systems, enhancing protection against regional missile proliferation.
U.S. defense analysts note that the sole-source nature of the award reflects Lockheed Martin’s exclusive role as the system’s developer and integrator. As regional tensions persist, sustained investment in THAAD support signals both a deterrent posture toward adversaries and a long-term commitment to U.S.-UAE defense cooperation through advanced missile defense technologies.
