Ministry of National Defence of Romania
Ministry of National Defence of Romania
02/08/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/08/2023 03:00
Minister of National Defence pays a visit to the 74th PATRIOT Regiment
Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvăr, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, paid a working visit to the 74th Mihai Bravu PATRIOT Regiment, on Tuesday, February 7th.
The MoND Leadership was briefed on the status of the "Patriot High Surface-To-Air Missile" Main Procurement Program and met with the military personnel who operates the two systems that have entered the service of the regiment so far.
The second Patriot High Surface-To-Air Missile System out of the four ones that have been procured in the first stage of the acquisition program was delivered in 2022, according to the previously agreed schedule, the acceptance testing and the reception being finalized in December.
The delivery of the third and fourth PATRIOT systems began in 2022, their testing and reception following to be finalized by the end of April.
Minister of National Defence appreciated that these modern systems were especially important for Romania's defence. "Equipping the Romanian Air Forces with PATRIOT systems provide a robust, credible, interoperable and flexible air defence capability designated to accomplish the Romanian Armed Forces' missions. The four systems make up the first stage of the building process of a state-of-art ground-based air defence capability, having the capacity to stop cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles, with the possibility of being completely integrated into the NATO system."
The command team of the 74th PATRIOT Regiment briefed the MoND Leadership on the status of the unit personnel's training in the field of operating and maintenance procedures. The personnel's training will also continue this year through courses organized by the United States' Air Defense Artillery School as well as in the country on the specific configuration of the equipment delivered to Romania, concomitantly with the testing, acceptance and reception of the systems.
* * *
The procurement of the PATRIOT system was established by Law no. 222/2017 for the achievement of the "Ground-based air defence capability", which is part of the Major Procurement Program "High Surface-to-Air Missiles (HSAM)". The document stipulated the awarding of the contract to the Government of the United States of America for the procurement of seven newly manufactured 3+ configuration PATRIOT High Surface-to-Air Missile systems, respectively the major equipment, means of transportation, materiel, component parts, maintenance equipment, ammunition, initial logistic support and training service package, as well as cryptographic and special equipment.
The endorsement of the law was preceded by the previous approval of the Parliament with regard to the initiation of the acquisition, according to the provisions of Art. 51 Paragraph (2) from Government Ordinance 114/2011, considering the fact that the value estimated is bigger than 100 million Euros and the awaiting of the approval of the US Department of State with respect to the potential selling of several Patriot systems to Romania.
The main contractors of the package of equipment and services adjacent to the PATRIOT systems are the US Raytheon and Lockheed-Martin Companies.
Romania procured the most modern type on the market in terms of the hardware and software configuration of PATRIOT systems currently operated, tested in combat and able to engage all types of existing threats.
The first PATRIOT system was delivered to the Romanian Air Forces in 2020. Since 2021, it has been conducting specific air defence and anti-ballistic missions against the missiles entering the Romanian and NATO air space.
The second PATRIOT system was delivered in 2022, the acceptance testing and the reception being finalized last year, in December, the system already entering the service of the 74th PATRIOT regiment.
The third and fourth PATRIOT systems were partially delivered in 2022, their full delivery, acceptance testing and reception following to be finalized in April 2023.
The MoND Leadership was briefed on the status of the "Patriot High Surface-To-Air Missile" Main Procurement Program and met with the military personnel who operates the two systems that have entered the service of the regiment so far.
The second Patriot High Surface-To-Air Missile System out of the four ones that have been procured in the first stage of the acquisition program was delivered in 2022, according to the previously agreed schedule, the acceptance testing and the reception being finalized in December.
The delivery of the third and fourth PATRIOT systems began in 2022, their testing and reception following to be finalized by the end of April.
Minister of National Defence appreciated that these modern systems were especially important for Romania's defence. "Equipping the Romanian Air Forces with PATRIOT systems provide a robust, credible, interoperable and flexible air defence capability designated to accomplish the Romanian Armed Forces' missions. The four systems make up the first stage of the building process of a state-of-art ground-based air defence capability, having the capacity to stop cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles, with the possibility of being completely integrated into the NATO system."
The command team of the 74th PATRIOT Regiment briefed the MoND Leadership on the status of the unit personnel's training in the field of operating and maintenance procedures. The personnel's training will also continue this year through courses organized by the United States' Air Defense Artillery School as well as in the country on the specific configuration of the equipment delivered to Romania, concomitantly with the testing, acceptance and reception of the systems.
* * *
The procurement of the PATRIOT system was established by Law no. 222/2017 for the achievement of the "Ground-based air defence capability", which is part of the Major Procurement Program "High Surface-to-Air Missiles (HSAM)". The document stipulated the awarding of the contract to the Government of the United States of America for the procurement of seven newly manufactured 3+ configuration PATRIOT High Surface-to-Air Missile systems, respectively the major equipment, means of transportation, materiel, component parts, maintenance equipment, ammunition, initial logistic support and training service package, as well as cryptographic and special equipment.
The endorsement of the law was preceded by the previous approval of the Parliament with regard to the initiation of the acquisition, according to the provisions of Art. 51 Paragraph (2) from Government Ordinance 114/2011, considering the fact that the value estimated is bigger than 100 million Euros and the awaiting of the approval of the US Department of State with respect to the potential selling of several Patriot systems to Romania.
The main contractors of the package of equipment and services adjacent to the PATRIOT systems are the US Raytheon and Lockheed-Martin Companies.
Romania procured the most modern type on the market in terms of the hardware and software configuration of PATRIOT systems currently operated, tested in combat and able to engage all types of existing threats.
The first PATRIOT system was delivered to the Romanian Air Forces in 2020. Since 2021, it has been conducting specific air defence and anti-ballistic missions against the missiles entering the Romanian and NATO air space.
The second PATRIOT system was delivered in 2022, the acceptance testing and the reception being finalized last year, in December, the system already entering the service of the 74th PATRIOT regiment.
The third and fourth PATRIOT systems were partially delivered in 2022, their full delivery, acceptance testing and reception following to be finalized in April 2023.