Romania to procure three additional Patriot Air and Missile Defense systems

Ioana Erdei 01/11/2018 | 21:17

The Romanian government has signed an agreement with the U.S. Army and transferred funding to the US government for the purchase of three additional Raytheon Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems from the U.S. Army. As was the case with the first system, which came under contract in May, the additional units were procured via the U.S. Department of Defense’s foreign military sales process, according to a company’s press release issued on Thursday.

“Romania is purchasing the most advanced, capable, cutting edge tactical ballistic missile defense system in the world,” said Mike Ellison, Raytheon’s country manager for Romania. “Patriot has been tested thousands of times in peace, and repeatedly proven itself in combat. Simply put, Patriot saves lives.”

Fifteen other nations purchased the Patriot defence System, including the U.S. and six other European nations: Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland and Sweden.

All of Romania’s Patriot fire units will be newly built. “And although it shares the same name and external appearance as the Patriot system that defended NATO during the Cold War, the system has been completely modernized”, the company officials explained.

“Romania’s Patriot fire units will have the same hardware and software suite as the U.S. Army’s Patriot fire units,” said Michelle DeMaio, Raytheon’s Romania Patriot program manager. “This will enhance Romania’s ability to train with the U.S. Army and other NATO allies.”