Raytheon Co., one of the world’s largest defense contractors, announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain has purchased Patriot air and missile defense system from the U.S. Army.

“The Kingdom of Bahrain signed an agreement to purchase Raytheon’s (NYSE: RTN) combat-proven Patriot air and missile defense system,” the aerospace giant announced Tuesday.

This letter of offer and acceptance allows the U.S. government to begin contract negotiations with Raytheon for production of an undisclosed quantity of systems and missiles.

“Raytheon’s Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System will ensure the Kingdom of Bahrain is well equipped to defend against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and manned and unmanned aircraft,” said Ralph Acaba, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. “Patriot is continually modernized, enhanced and upgraded, through this 17-nation community, to ensure it outpaces the evolving threats for years to come.”

Earlier this year, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency has reported that the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain of various Patriot missile systems and related support and equipment for an estimated cost of $2.478 billion.

The Government of Bahrain has requested to buy sixty Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, 36 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T) missiles with canisters, 9 M903 Launching Stations (LS), 5 Antenna Mast Groups (AMG), 3 Electrical Power Plants (EPP) III, 2 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets (RS), and 2 AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Stations (ECS).

“The prime contractor for the PAC-3 Missile is Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, Texas. The prime contractor for the GEM-T missile is Raytheon Company in Andover, Massachusetts, ” also noted the DCSA.

Bahrain will use Patriot to improve its missile defense capability, defend its territorial integrity, and deter regional threats.