Kuwait seeks US missiles

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency reports that Kuwait is seeking 300 AGM-114R3 HELLFIRE II missiles from the United States. The deal under the Foreign Military Sales program would include associated equipment and support and would be worth about $49 million. "Kuwait intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand its existing air force architecture to counter threats posed by potential attack," the agency said in its notification to Congress. "This capability will serve to deter potential attacks against strategic targets across Kuwait, to include infrastructure and resources vital to the security of the United States." The package deal would include containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, repair and return support, training equipment and personnel training. Lockheed Martin would be the prime contractor, it said, and no assignment of U.S. government or contractor representatives to Kuwait would be necessary.