The US State Department has approved the sale of a Patriot anti -aircraft defense system to Romania, in exchange for the one donated last year.
The US approved the sale of a new Patriot anti -aircraft system to Romania Profimedia Photo
The US State Department has approved the sale to Romania of a MIM-104 Patriot firing unit. The MIM-104 Patriot system includes a Radar AN/MPQ-65 set and two M903 launch stations. This firing unit will replace the system that Romania provided to Ukraine in September 2024, the US Embassy transmitted in Romania in a statement.
According to the quoted source, the system can detect and lower a wide range of threats with ballistic and air missiles, and this acquisition will strengthen Romania's ability to discourage aggression in the Black Sea region.
“The commitment of Romania to the integrated air defense strengthens the protection of the Romanian territory and the NATO Alliance, making America and our safer allies. The United States appreciates the continuous support that Romania granted to Ukraine, including the donation of a patriotic system.”said US Ambassador Kathleen Kavalec.
The system will be purchased through grants from a group of NATO donors, with an estimated cost of $ 262 million.
“The leadership of the Ministry of National Defense welcomes the decision of the US State Department to approve the sale to Romania of a high-beaten ground-to-air missile system-Patriot, through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) security program, and the notification of the US Congress”, According to the standard American procedures, MApN also transmitted.
At the beginning of April, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that the patriotic system must replace the one donated Ukraine.
Romania decided last year to donate a patriotic system for Ukraine, which was delivered in October 2024. The authorities then stated that the Romanian state will be compensated with another new patriot system.
The decision was approved in the CSAT on June 20, 2024, and Romania imposed the condition of obtaining a similar or equivalent system and also raised the problem of identifying a temporary solution to cover the operational vulnerability.
