The government of Romania has signed an agreement to purchase the Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System from the U.S. Army, the system’s manufacturer Raytheon said in a press release.
The signing of the Letter of Offer and Acceptance enables the U.S. government to begin contract negotiations with Raytheon, the release said on Wednesday, November 29. The agreement comes just 10 days after Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor said the country would purchase the Patriot missile system in 2019 and that they would be operational by 2020.
In July, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release that the estimated cost of the system is $3.9 billion.
“With its newly built Patriot capability, Romania’s military will have the ability to defend Romania and its NATO allies,” said Tom Laliberty, Raytheon vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense. “Patriot will also enable Romanian air defenders to train, exercise and interoperate with their U.S. and European counterparts.”
“Raytheon is developing long-term relationships with Romanian companies to help us build and sustain Romania’s Patriot fleet,” Laliberty added.
Romania will receive Patriot Configuration 3+, the most advanced available and “an undisclosed quantity of GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles,” the release said on Wednesday.
DSCA said in July that Romania has requested 56 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-TBM (GEM-T) missiles, 168 Patriot Advanced Capabilty-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, 28 M903 launching stations and seven Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units. The sale also includes radar systems, engagement control stations, power plants and other equipment and support.
On November 17, the U.S. approved a Poland request for the sale of Patriot anti-missile systems for $10.5 billion, while earlier in November, Sweden said it would request the sale of the Patriot system, with the aim of having it fully operational by 2025.
Thirteen nations field Patriot, including the U.S., Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain.
