The Romanian Air Force has officially taken delivery of its first Patriot surface to air missile system from the US in a reception ceremony in Constanta.
The ceremony took place after Patriot components and equipment started arriving in August this year to the National Training Center for Air Defense “Brigadier General Ion Bungescu”, where testing and handover are taking place.
Romania received the first Patriot system from US defense contractor Raytheon, who is delivering seven systems under a US Army contract. When it signed up for the Patriot purchase in 2017, Romania became the 6th NATO member state to procure the system.
According to a US Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement from 2017, Romania is expected to spend an estimated $3.9 billion for the purchase.
Romania’s Patriot is being delivered in Configuration 3+, the most advanced configuration available. The country is also buying an undisclosed quantity of GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles from Lockheed Martin. These interceptors will enable Romania’s military to defeat current and emerging threats.
