The United States Department of State has approved a potential sale of Patriot air and missile defense systems and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, valued at approximately $9 billion, Azernews reports, citing the announcement was made by the Pentagon.

According to the Pentagon, Lockheed Martin will serve as the principal contractor for the sale of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors.

The approval follows a request from Saudi Arabia to purchase 730 PAC-3 MSE missiles, the statement said.

The Pentagon added that the proposed sale would not alter the military balance in the Middle East and would not negatively affect US defense readiness.