The United States has approved the sale of a new Patriot air defence system to Romania, aimed at replacing the advanced system that Romania provided to Ukraine last year to help counter continued Russian missile attacks. The deal, announced by the Defence Security Cooperation Agency of the US Department of Defense, is valued at approximately 280 million US dollars, which is about 225 million pounds.
This proposed transfer includes one AN MPQ 65 radar, one AN MSQ 132 fire control station, two M903 launchers, and additional equipment, spare parts, training, and support services. The primary contractors responsible for supplying the equipment are American defence companies Raytheon (RTX) and Lockheed Martin.
The funding for this replacement has also been supported in part by Sweden and Norway. Their financial contributions help to offset the costs of military support for Ukraine, whose need for advanced air defence has increased due to relentless Russian missile and drone assaults.
The Patriot system Romania had donated to Ukraine in October 2024 was one of the most modern PAC 3 Plus variants. It features a second generation AN MPQ 65 radar capable of tracking and intercepting ballistic missiles, giving Ukrainian forces a much needed boost in protecting civilian areas and infrastructure from aerial attacks.
This transfer was made possible following a decree signed by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on 5 September 2024. Romania’s decision to send the high tech Patriot system to Ukraine formed part of a broader international effort to strengthen Kyiv’s air defence in response to Russia’s ongoing full scale invasion.
In December 2024, the US company RTX signed a separate contract to supply new Patriot systems to Romania. An initial payment of 464 million US dollars, approximately 372 million pounds, was already made under this contract. Delivery of the new systems is expected to be completed by the end of December 2029.
