The second Patriot system for Romania
Romania received its second US-made Patriot system.
Leyla Cheamil, 09.02.2023, 13:50
Romania has purchased the most modern Patriot system hardware and software in operation, tested in combat and able to engage with all types of existing aerial threats. The purchase of these US-made systems was established in a law from 2017 providing for the creation of a “ground-based air-defence system” as part of the essential endowment programme “High Surface-to-Air Missiles” (HSAM). Bucharest has already received a second of a total of four contracted systems as part of the first stage of the programme to equip the Romanian army.
These latest-generation systems contribute “robust, credible, interoperable and flexible capability meant for the accomplishment of the missions of the Romanian Army”, said defence minister Angel Tîlvăr, who visited, together with the chief of defence staff Daniel Petrescu, the 74thMihai Bravu PatriotRegiment. The two officials met the troops operating the two systems. Angel Tîlvăr added that the four systems are part of the first stage of creating a latest-generation ground-based air-defence system capability that was tested in combat against tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and which is fully compatible with the NATO system.
The two army officials were presented with the level of training of the units operating and maintenance staff, who will continue their training this year at the Air Defense Artillery School in the US, as well as in Romania. The defence minister said after this presentation:
“We need specialists, they are undergoing training programmes, have completed such programmes and we are taking care that this occurs at a frequency and pace that allows us not to have dysfunctionality from this point of view. In fact, this is one of our constant concerns and also of other NATO armies, not to be short of specialists, because the modern way of approaching this field requires high specialisation.”
The second Patriot system was delivered, according to schedule, during 2022, with its acceptance testing and reception taking place in December. The delivery of the next two began last year, with their testing and reception to take place by the end of April. The first system was delivered to the Romanian air forces in 2020 and has been carrying specific missions for the air and missile defence of the Romanian and NATO air space since 2021. (CM)
