DefMin Fifor says first Patriot surface-to-air missile system operational in 2020

Defence Minister Mihai Fifor said on Monday that the first Patriot surface-to-air missile system, to be purchased this year, will be operational in 2020. 

"We received the letter of acceptance from the US government for the purchase of seven Patriot configuration 3+ systems. To these add the related equipment, spare parts, maintenance equipment, training services, the special encryption equipment, as well as the initial logistics support package. We are discussing this bill as part of Romania's strategic partnership with the US. (...) It's a collective effort that places Romania in a select European and world defence club, by the purchase of the Patriot system. (...) For the Romanian Army, this is just the first step, this year we acquire the first of the seven systems. This one will be operational in 2020 and ushers in the major programs for the endowment of the Romanian Army. In the next period we will come up with other bills on the purchase of equipment, approved in the Supreme Council for National Defence and having, of course, the prior agreement of the Parliament of Romania," Mihai Fifor said in the Senate's Defence Committee. 

Chief of Romania's General Staff, Gen. Nicolae Ciuca was also present at the Committee meeting, where he explained that "it is worth emphasizing that [the system] allows for the planning of the long-term air defence strategy due to the hardware and software upgrade possibility" and also provides for an integrated operational planning tailored to the Air Force and Land Force needs. 

The Senate Defence Committee on Monday unanimously gave the go-ahead to the government's Army's endowment bill providing for the purchase of seven Patriot surface-to-air missile systems. 

The government's bill on the Ground-based Air Defence Capability to be accomplished under the key endowment program "Long-range surface-to-air missile system" was registered at the Senate on November 9, with the request to be debated in a fast-track procedure. AGERPRES .