State Department approves Patriot missile sale to the Netherlands

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress today, the DSCA announced.

The sale includes a variety of recapitalization services to the Netherlands including radar sets, processors, control stations, launch equipment, upgrades and other services, testing and other related elements of logistics and program support, which will produce fire units at the Configuration 3+ capability. The total estimated program cost is $105 million.

The proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a fellow member of NATO, according to the State Department.

The State Department says the sale will improve the Netherlands ability to meet enemy air and missile threats, with the equipment intended to bolster its defense and deter regional threats while aiding allies.

The Patriot is an advanced long range air defense missile system that is designed to destroy incoming enemy aircraft and missiles. It has been in use for decades, has seen combat and been upgraded may times.

Versions such as the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 have been developed specifically to intercept ballistic missiles as part of a wider network. The conventional Patriot and ballistic missile defense versions have been exported around the world.

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