American state department agrees on the possible sale of Patriot rockets to Romania for USD 3.9 bln

The US state department agreed on the possible sale of Patriot rockets to Romania for USD 3.9 billion, including technical support and equipments, for USD 3.9 billion, according to Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The USA Congress was notified regarding the possible transaction on July 10.

Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the Romanian Government requested the sale of seven Patriot systems, including the communications equipment, instruments and testing equipments, support equipments, generators, technical documentation, training equipments, exchange items, employees training, technical support and logistic services.

The main contractors will be Raytheon Corporation from Andover, Massachusetts, and Lockheed-Martin from Dallas, Texas.

For the implementation of this agreement approximately 30 representatives of USA Government and 40 representatives of contractors will have to come to Romania to set up the equipments, perform system verification, training and technical and logistic support.

„This sale will consolidate the external politics objective and the national security of USA contributing to the improvement security of a NATO ally that continues to be an important force for the political stability and the economic progress in Europe. This sale will meet Romania’s need to have its own auto- defense system and will support the defense objectives of NATO,” Defense Security Cooperation Agency representatives said.

The notification on the possible sale is requested by law and does not mean that the acquisition was finished.

“We hope that by the end of 2017 we’ll reach an agreement regarding the Patriot rocket acquisition by Romania. It is a good news,” US ambassador to Romania Hans Klemm said.