Ministry of National Defence leadership welcomes State Department decision

The leadership of the Ministry of National Defence welcomes the decision of the US Department of State to approve the sale of a Patriot long-range surface-to-air missile system to Romania. This system will replace the one donated to Ukraine last September. Ground-to-air missile systems are essential for national and regional security and, in the current political-military context, Romania is continuing its efforts in the defence and security dimensions by ensuring robust and credible military capabilities.

Costin Grigore: "The estimated cost of this system, consisting of a radar set - in the modernised version of the one donated - two launching stations and a control station, is over 260 million dollars. The system will be procured through non-reimbursable external funds provided by a group of allied countries as well as through the Immediate Action for Air Defence initiative. The Patriot can detect and shoot down a wide range of aerial platforms and ballistic missiles, and this acquisition will strengthen Romania's ability to deter aggression in the Black Sea region.

The programme to acquire seven Patriot surface-to-air missile systems was initiated by law in 2017. The first system was received in 2020, followed by the major equipment for the other three systems in the first stage of the programme in 2021-2023. For the systems in the second stage, i.e. the other three units, for which Romania signed the procurement contract at the end of 2023, the US government has already launched the order to Raytheon to start production."

Translated by: Radu Matei