Ramona Adams
Romania looks to buy Raytheon-built Patriot missiles as part of the country’s military modernization efforts, Reuters reported Thursday.
Radu-Sorin Marinas writes Romania wants to integrate Patriots into an air defense system comprised of six F-16 fighter jets in an effort to address NATO standards.
“We’re assessing all options to develop this (acquisition) program,” Gen. Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca, chief of the general staff of Romania’s defense ministry, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Ciuca added he expects the procurement effort to begin this year.
Patriot missiles are designed to counter ballistic missile, cruise missile and aircraft threats.
The country pegged its 2017 defense budget at 2 percent of the gross domestic product, up from 1.7 percent in 2016, Marinas reported.
