So far, THAAD’s only foreign sale has been to the United Arab Emirates. Lockheed Martin received a $1.96 billion U.S. government contract last December to produce two THAAD weapons systems for the UAE.

Any overseas sales of the Arrow system would be on a similar government-to-government basis.

Muilenburg said another likely selling point would be the potential for a buyer nation’s industry to be involved in production.

“That’s a technology area where many countries are interested in building up their own industrial capacity in addition to providing the defensive capability,” he said.

The total U.S. financial contribution to progressively improved versions of the Arrow system tops $1 billion, the Congressional Research Service said in a March 12 report to lawmakers.

The Obama administration’s fiscal 2013 budget request includes $99.8 million in joint U.S.-Israeli co-development for missile defense, a sum that U.S. lawmakers have moved to more than double in the ongoing budget process.