Strategy Page – Saudi Arabia has made a billion dollar down payment on its $15 billion order for a THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-missile system. The down payment is to enable the manufacturer to start production on items that take a long time to produce. The Saudi order is the largest ever for THAAD. The Saudis are buying 44 launchers, 360 missiles and radar and control stations for seven batteries. In addition this deal will pay for an upgrade of Saudi radar warning and communications infrastructure as well as bases for the THAAD batteries and maintenance facilities. The cost will cover the training of over a thousand Saudi personnel to operate and maintain the THAAD batteries and associated early warning radar systems.
The Saudis will probably use contractors early on to assist with operations and maintenance. The Saudis have developed a lot of effective operators and maintenance personnel because of recent combat experience while operating its Patriot systems that have intercepted over a hundred ballistic missiles (most provided by Iran) fired from Yemen. The THAAD contract will also cover upgrades still in development or planned.
