Friday, October 6, 2017

U.S. Approves $15bn Sale Of Anti-Missile THAAD System To Saudi Arabia

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

Reuters: U.S. approves possible $15 billion sale of THAAD missiles to Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of a THAAD anti-missile defense system to Saudi Arabia at an estimated cost of $15 billion, the Pentagon said on Friday, in a statement citing Iran among regional threats.

Saudi Arabia asked to purchase 44 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launchers and 360 missiles, as well as fire control stations and radars.

“This sale furthers U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, and supports the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian and other regional threats,” the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation agency said in a statement.

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WNU Editor: It looks like the Saudis are on a buying spree .... Saudi Dropping Billions on US and Russian Military Hardware (Foreign Policy).

More News On The U.S. Approving A $15bn Anti-Missile THAAD System Sale To Saudi Arabia

Thaad: US to sell $15bn missile defence to Saudi Arabia -- BBC News
US to sell $15 bn THAAD missile defense to Saudi Arabia -- AFP
State Dept. approves $15B missile defense sale to Saudi Arabia -- The Hill
US Approves $15 Billion Thaad Missile Package for Saudi Arabia -- Bloomberg
US agrees to sell THAAD missile defence to Saudi Arabia -- Aljazeera
US approves $15 billion THAAD missile defense sale to Saudi Arabia -- The Independent

4 comments:

Bert Bert said...

Maybe it’s the buying before the storm.

jimbrown said...

Are they going to deploy it in London after their strategic retreat?

Anonymous said...

Throughout history Saudi has been of little strategic importance. Buying both Thaad and S400 highlights the fact in a war time scenario ships would just unleash without ever sitting foot on the worthless land.

Obviously the S400 is a superior weapon, i would assume that acquiring both is of some importance for the US and its allies. While its interesting Russia has agreed to pawn off its tech as comparing the two would be highly advantageous, it does raise questions as to the possibility that this tech is now redundant.

Unknown said...

"Throughout history Saudi has been of little strategic importance"

Says the person who knows little of trade routes since ancient times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periplus_of_the_Erythraean_Sea