Romania received second PATRIOT missile system, defense minister says
The second PATRIOT system, out of the total of four that were contracted for the first stage of the equipping program, was delivered to Romania according to the agreed schedule, in 2022, said defense minister Angel Tîlvăr during a visit at the 74th PATRIOT Mihai Bravu Regiment.
Delivery of the third and fourth PATRIOT systems began in the course of 2022, and their testing and reception are expected to be completed by the end of April, according to the minister.
"Equipping the Air Force with PATRIOT systems adds a robust, credible, interoperable, and flexible air defense capability designed to help fulfill the missions of the Romanian Army. The four systems represent the first stage in achieving a state-of-the-art ground-based air defense capability with the ability to defend against tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, fully integrated into the NATO system," said minister Tîlvăr, quoted in a press release of the Ministry of Defense.
He also noted that the 74th Regiment “are constantly preparing, both in the United States and in the country, on the specific configuration of the equipment delivered to Romania, while simultaneously performing testing of the systems prior to officially receiving it.”
Romania is paying approximately USD 3.9 billion for seven new Patriot air defense systems in the latest available configuration, along with a few hundred interceptors, Hotnews.ro reported. The contract is a government-to-government one, and four out of the seven systems have been paid for so far. Out of the seven batteries, four will be given to the Romanian Air Force and three to the Ground Force.
Each battery has one firing unit (four launchers mounted/attached to each truck, a radar, a fire control unit, generators, and other equipment). More specifically, Romania bought seven Patriot missile systems in the 3+ configuration.
14 NATO member or partner states, including Romania, signed a letter of intent in October 2022 for the joint procurement of air defense systems in the Arrow 3 and Patriot categories.
(Photo source: Angel Tilvar on Facebook)
