Romania to strengthen air defense capabilities with nearly $1 billion contract for Patriot systems

Europe, News, US January 9, 2025 , by IRIA No Comments

3 minute read

Romania aims to strengthen its air defense capabilities with the acquisition of U.S. Patriot systems. Romania recently awarded a $946 million contract to American defense firm Raytheon, an RTX business, to deliver Patriot air and missile defense systems.

According to the Raytheon statement, the contract marks the third Patriot order from Romania. The latest deal includes fire units consisting of radars, control stations, and missiles, the statement added.

Senior vice president of Global Patriot at Raytheon, Pete Bata said, “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,” Bata added.

Since Romania shares a 400-mile-long border with Ukraine, the Romanian government has significantly increased its efforts to strengthen the country’s land and aerial defense capabilities. Under the increasing pressure from its allies and the changing security situation of the region due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Romania is among several other Eastern European countries that are rapidly evaluating their defense strategy and upgrading their arsenals.

Bucharest is using the Patriot system for the longer-range air defense and plans to integrate missile defense systems with the emerging NATO-wide network, known as the alliance’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense concept.

Romania acquired the first of seven Patriot systems in 2020 through a foreign military sales case executed by the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command. In late 2023, the Romanian Army’s 74th PATRIOT Regiment successfully conducted live-fire drills of its Patriot air defense system.

The Romanian Army's 74th Patriot Regiment conducted the country's first PATRIOT missile system live-fire exercise — ^{The Romanian Army’s 74th Patriot Regiment conducted the country’s first PATRIOT missile system live-fire exercise at the Capu Midia test firing range in Romania, on November 15-16, 2023. (Image Credit: U.S. Army Security Assistance Command)}

The exercise played a vital role in evaluating the preparedness of the Romanian Armed Forces to deploy the sophisticated missile system. The Romanian Patriot regiment personnel practiced operating the system at several launching stations, the radar, the engagement consultation, the electric power plant, and the antenna mask group.

Patriot defense system

The Patriot is a combat-proven, ground-based air and missile defense system designed to counter advanced long-range cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and a wide range of air-breathing threats. Serving as the cornerstone of air defense for 19 nations, it consistently proves its effectiveness against sophisticated aerial threats and large-scale, complex raid attacks.

Comprising various components such as interceptor missiles, launch stations, radar sets, control stations, and power generation units, the Patriot system ensures comprehensive defense coverage. The system can fire PAC-2 and PAC-3 variants interceptor missiles, with the latter boasting hit-to-kill technology for precise neutralization of threats, thereby expanding the protected area.

The system has undergone numerous upgrades over the decades, with the PAC-3 variant representing the pinnacle of these advancements. The PAC-3 MSE, in particular, is designed to counter more sophisticated threats that have emerged in recent years, reflecting the ongoing evolution in missile and air defense technology.

It has a range of up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) and the ability to engage targets at altitudes of 30 kilometers. The system’s proven effectiveness in various conflict zones has made it a preferred choice for countries seeking to enhance their defensive capabilities. The Patriot system’s performance in Ukraine has sparked renewed global interest, with potential customers eyeing the system for their own defense needs.