The US Department of Defense announced that defense Contractor Lockheed Martin has won more than one billion dollar US Army modification contract to build Patriot anti-ballistic missile interceptors for South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)�� Defense Contractor Lockheed Martin has won more than�one billion dollar US Army modification contract to�build Patriot anti-ballistic missile interceptors for�South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the US Department of�Defense announced.
"Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $1,094,983,588 modification foreign military sales (Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) contract� for�Patriot Advanced Capability production (PAC-3)," the announcement on�Monday stated.


The new contract follows an enormous $5.4 billion deal that Saudi Arabia signed to�buy the upgraded PAC-3 interceptor missile to�replace its aging force of�earlier-model Patriot missiles that was announced in�July 2015.

US Arab allies have sought to�bolster their ballistic missile capabilities and anti-ballistic missile defense amid�concerns over�the Iran nuclear agreement and Tehran�s activities in�the region.

In May 2015, the United States and Gulf Arab countries agreed to�expand defense cooperation. Saudi Arabia was the world�s largest importer of�arms in�2014, primarily purchasing weapons from�the United States.

By Sputnik