Gov't approves draft on buying first Patriot missile system

The Government on Wednesday approved the draft law on the achievement of the "Ground based air defence capability" related to the "Long range surface-to-air missile systems (HSAM)" endowment programme that is essential for the Army, reads a release of the Government remitted to AGERPRES. 

According to the said source, the draft law will be submitted to Parliament for approval. 

The Government specified that the draft refers to the acquisition, starting with the year 2017, of seven surface-to-air PATRIOT missile systems - among which four systems will be for the General Staff of the Air Forces and three for the General Staff of the Land Forces - and the related equipment, worth a total of 3.9 billion US dollars without VAT. 

The first system of those, for which the acceptance letter has already been received from the American side, is worth 764.78 million US dollars without VAT and will be contracted by the end of this year, according to the Government.