![A British Royal Air Force Harrier GR7 groundcrew member cycles along the apron infront of a Patriot Missile defence system on his base in Kuwait April 6, 2003. [U.S. troops have a tight control on Baghdad airport and will move out from there in all directions, Jim Wilkinson, a spokesman for U.S. commander General Tommy Franks, said on Sunday.] - PBEAHUOQIBA](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2020/05/RTXLWAK.jpg/RTXLWAK.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=Rlh7RZgw)
The US State Department approved Kuwait’s request for $1.425 billion in upgrades for the Gulf country’s Patriot missile defense systems.
Why it matters: Thursday’s sale approval comes on the heels of a US Navy contract awarded to Boeing to build more than a thousand land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles for Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In a statement, the US Defense Security Cooperation agency said the Patriot upgrade will help Kuwait defend its “critical oil and natural gas infrastructure.”
