Romania Signs LOA for Patriot PAC+

Romania Signs Agreement with U.S. Government for Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System

In a single month, the Pentagon’s political muscle has convinced three European nations to buy Patriot (PAC-3 pictured) instead of a competing European system that is widely considered both technically superior and at least one-third less expensive. (Raytheon photo)

BUCHAREST, Romania --- The government of Romania signed an agreement to purchase Raytheon's combat proven Patriot from the U.S. Army. The agreement, formally referred to as a Letter of Offer and Acceptance, paves the way for Romania's Patriot force to rapidly reach Initial Operational Capability, and sets the stage for the U.S. government to begin contract negotiations with Raytheon.

Raytheon’s Patriot Solutions is a missile defense system consisting of radars, command-and-control technology and multiple types of interceptors, all working together to detect, identify and defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, advanced aircraft and other threats. Patriot is the foundation of integrated air and missile defense for 13 nations.

Patriot is a purely defensive system that is the backbone of NATO's defense against ballistic and cruise missiles, advanced aircraft and drones. Romania's procurement of the system will help the country meet its NATO commitment to spend at least 2% of its Gross Domestic Product on defense.

"With its newly built Patriot capability, Romania's military will have the ability to defend Romania and its NATO allies," said Tom Laliberty, Raytheon vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense. "Patriot will also enable Romanian air defenders to train, exercise and interoperate with their U.S. and European counterparts."

Thirteen other nations depend on Patriot to protect their citizens and armed forces, including the U.S. and four other European nations: Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain.

"This procurement will create jobs in both the U.S. and Romania," Laliberty added. "Raytheon is developing long-term relationships with Romanian companies to help us build and sustain Romania's Patriot fleet."

Romania will receive the Patriot Configuration 3+, the most advanced configuration available, as well as an undisclosed quantity of GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles. These interceptors will enable Romania's military to defeat current and emerging threats.

Raytheon Company, with 2016 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Even Sweden’s top financial daily, DI, can’t understand why the Swedish government, which initially intended to buy the Eurosam SAMP/T medium-range air-defense system switched to the Patriot at the last minute.
Eurosam offered a more capable system to all three countries – Poland, Sweden and Romania -- at a price about one-third cheaper that Patriot, so Sweden’s decision was either swayed by a political ultimatum or by less conventional methods.)

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