Raytheon to Provide US, Saudi Arabia With $180Mln in Air-to-Ground Missiles

US defense contractor Raytheon has been awarded a $180 million contract to provide the US Navy and Saudi Arabia with guided air-to-ground missiles, the US Defense Department announced.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The contract will provide the US Navy with 200 AGM-154C-1 missiles and 355 AGM-154 missiles to Saudi Arabia.

The AGM-154 series of missiles is a Global Positioning System and infrared guided air-to-ground missile with stand-off capability.

The sale to Saudi Arabia comes as the United States and Gulf Arab countries agreed to expand defense cooperation amid concerns over the Iran nuclear deal and Tehran’s activities in the region, including Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is conducting an air campaign against Shiite Houthi rebels.

Saudi Arabia has significantly increased its purchases of weapons, becoming the world’s top importer in 2015.