At the beginning of January, the American company Raytheon announced that it had been awarded a new $946 million contract to supply Romania with a new Patriot air defense system, which will replace the one transferred to Ukraine as part of the military assistance provided by European allies since the start of the Russian invasion. The announcement coincided with Sweden, a NATO ally of Bucharest, declaring the allocation of a total of 300 million kronor to help strengthen Romania’s defense network.
Regarding the acquisition, Raytheon’s Senior Vice President of Global Patriot, Pete Bata, stated: “Raytheon is committed to providing Romania with advanced integrated air and missile defense capabilities to protect its citizens and critical infrastructure (…) Romania’s continued investment in Patriot is a testament to the nation’s dedication to ensuring collective security, deterrence, and stability across Europe.”
Delving into some details, it is worth noting that this marks the third Patriot system order from Romania to the company, with previous purchases occurring in 2017 and 2020. According to Raytheon’s official communication, this time the delivery will include Patriot launchers along with a batch of missiles, complemented by advanced radars and control stations that comprise the battery.
It is useful to remember that with this acquisition, Romania secures a combat-tested system capable of intercepting a wide range of threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, among other potential targets. These Patriot systems are capable of operating in all weather conditions and are notable for integrating a tracking and guidance system that allows the interceptors to adjust their trajectory mid-flight over long distances. While the variant acquired is not specified, it is known that the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) systems, planned for integration into the Romanian Armed Forces’ 74th Patriot Regiment, can neutralize targets at ranges of up to 150 kilometers and detect them at a distance of 170 kilometers.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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