September 17 (SeeNews) - Romania received the first Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system from U.S.-based defence contractor Raytheon, and is expecting three more by the end of 2022, the defence ministry said on Thursday.
This is the first important piece of equipment purchased and delivered after Romania committed through a national political deal in 2015 to increase financing for the army's procurement programme," defence minister Nicolae Ciuca said during a live-streamed reception ceremony at the Capul Midia firing range in Constanta county.
"Romania has acquired the most modern missile system in terms of hardware and software, the same as the one currently used by the United States armed forces, which allows counteracting all types of today's air threats," Ciuca said.
Some of the core components of the first Patriot SAM system to be used by the Romanian army have arrived in the country since August 20, according to data from the defence ministry's website.
A Patriot SAM system consists of radars, command-and-control units and multiple types of interceptors, all working together to detect, identify and defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, advanced aircraft and other threats.
"Romania is safer with Patriot missiles on its territory, and Romanian citizens are better protected," prime minister Ludovic Orban said during the ceremony.
Romania is the 17th nation in the world to rely on Patriot missile systems for defence, Orban added.
In November 2018, Romania signed an agreement with Raytheon to buy three additional Patriot systems, bringing the total number of purchased systems to ten. A year earlier, the U.S. State Department cleared the sale of seven Patriot systems to Romania by Raytheon for an estimated $3.9 billion (3.3 billion euro).
Romania, which joined NATO in 2004, plans to spend 9.8 billion euro until 2026 to boost its defence capabilities.
($= 0.8478 euro)