UAE to upgrade THAAD missile defense with new Lockheed Martin launchers

The United Arab Emirates is upgrading its ballistic missile defense capabilities through a contract modification with Lockheed Martin. Under the Foreign Military Sales program, Lockheed Martin will manufacture new Configuration 3 (C3) THAAD launchers for the UAE between August 2026 and January 2031.

The $211.4 million contract modification, issued by the Missile Defense Agency, brings the cumulative value of the existing contract to over $1.05 billion. The upgrade is intended to modernize the UAE’s layered defense architecture, which currently utilizes THAAD systems alongside Patriot interceptors to protect strategic infrastructure and cities from short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

In addition to the launchers, previous defense packages approved by the United States included components such as AN/TPY-2 radars, Sentinel 4 radars, and tactical station vehicles. The UAE has previously demonstrated the operational utility of the THAAD system, including a confirmed interception of ballistic missiles in January 2022.