On Friday, May 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of State approved the potential sale to Qatar of a package including 500 PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptor missiles for MIM-104 Patriot air defense systems, valued at up to 4.01 billion USD.
Photo: US Army
According to the published information, the government in Doha requested the possible acquisition of 200 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles and 300 PAC-3 MSE missiles. The request also included the following non-MDE (Major Defense Equipment) items: spare parts for PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles and ground support equipment; classified and unclassified repairs and returns; consumables for PAC-2 and PAC-3 missile canisters; the PAC-3 Field Surveillance Program; technical, engineering, and logistics assistance from the U.S. government and the contractors, RTX in the case of PAC-2 and Lockheed Martin in the case of PAC-3; quality assurance; and other related elements of logistics and program support.
The Qatar Emiri Air Force (Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Amiriyah Al-Qatariyah) operates MIM-104 Patriot systems, having purchased 11 MIM-104E system batteries in November 2012, together with 246 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles, 786 PAC-3 missiles, and related equipment. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was declared in November 2018.
Importantly, in the case of the new ammunition package, the Secretary of State determined and provided a detailed justification that an emergency exists requiring the immediate sale of the package to Qatar in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the federal Arms Export Control Act.
It is no secret that this stems from the heavy consumption of ammunition by Qatar’s air defense during recent Iranian missile and drone attacks, as was also the case with neighboring Gulf states.
Saudi Arabia reportedly fired more than 1,600 of its 2,800 PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles, including CRI and MSE variants; Kuwait between 110 and 150 of around 200 missiles; while Qatar and the United Arab Emirates together fired a total of around 2,400 missiles. These figures are, of course, estimates.
PAC-2 GEM-T
The PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor missile, also designated TBM (Theater Ballistic Missile), entered service with the U.S. Army in 2006, although deliveries of 230 of the initially ordered 376 missiles began a year earlier. As the TBM designation indicates, the missile is intended primarily to counter medium-range ballistic missiles, or tactical-operational missiles, such as the Iskander-M, while the PAC-2 GEM-C variant is also designed to engage cruise missiles and aircraft.
The GEM-T/C is a deeply modernized version of the MIM-104C/D, or PAC-2, missile, which received a proximity fuse, a new radar receiver with increased accuracy, and new electronic components based on solid-state technology. In 2018, the missiles were fitted with a more durable digital transmitter using gallium nitride (GaN) technology, intended to reduce missile operating costs.
Interestingly, on the same day, the U.S. Department of Defense announced an urgent 441.6 million USD contract for these missiles for the U.S. Army.
PAC-3 MSE
PAC-3 MSE missiles, which are a development of the CRI (Cost Reduction Initiative) variant, were developed to improve the MIM-104 Patriot system’s ability to intercept ballistic missiles. Under the project, they received more powerful rocket motors. Their performance was also improved, including range and interception altitude. PAC-3 MSE missiles can be used to destroy maneuvering targets such as cruise missiles, as well as manned and unmanned aircraft. They do not have a conventional explosive warhead. Instead, they destroy targets using kinetic energy, in a hit-to-kill engagement.
It is worth emphasizing that another approval for PAC-3 MSE missile deliveries is important from Poland’s perspective, not only as a system user but also as a supplier, since companies of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) are included in the program’s supply chains: Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne, Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 1, and Wojskowe Zakłady Uzbrojenia.
This is especially relevant because the United States intends to increase annual production from 600 to 2,000 missiles under a framework agreement signed with Lockheed Martin on January 6 this year. On April 1 this year, Boeing also signed an agreement to triple production of guidance seekers for these missiles.
On January 30 this year, the U.S. Department of State approved a potential sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of 730 missiles of this type.
See also:
- COMLOG to deliver Patriot missiles to Ukraine under a 3.7 billion USD contract
- Damaged AN/FPS-132 Upgraded Early Warning Radar Block 5 shown after Iranian strike
- PAC-3 MSE missiles for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
- Qatar Shoots Down Two Iranian Su-24MK Tactical Bombers
- Thales GM400α and GM200 MM/A radars for Qatar