Timely Defenders: Keeping Patriots in Shape

April 7/22: Taiwan The US State Department has approved the potential sale to Taiwan of equipment, training and other items to support the Patriot Air Defense System in a deal valued at up to $95 million, the Pentagon said. Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained of increased military pressure by Beijing to try and force the democratically ruled island to accept its sovereignty. The package would include training, planning, fielding, deployment, operation, maintenance and sustainment of the Patriot Air Defense System and associated equipment, the Pentagon said, in a notification to Congress.

March 10/22: Poland The US sent two PATRIOT surface-to-air missile batteries to Poland in preparation to enforce a no-fly zone over that country and parts of its border with Ukraine. “At the direction of the Secretary of Defense and at the invitation of our Polish allies, General Wolters, Commander of US European Command, has directed US Army Europe and Africa to reposition two Patriot Batteries to Poland,” United States European Command (EUCOM) spokesman Capt. Adam Miller said in a statement.

February 16/22: Saudi Arabia And Qatar Lockheed Martin won a $16 million deal for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 flight test support in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with an estimated completion date of February 13, 2025. Fiscal 2022 Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia and Qatar) funds in the amount of $16,099,270 were obligated at the time of the award.

December 9/21: Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is reportedly running low on its stock pile of Patriot missile interceptors and has reached out to the United States and allies in Europe and Gulf for resupplies. Houthi rebels based in Yemen have been launching ballistic missiles and drones into Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom has been using the interceptors to defeat those attacks over the past several months.

December 1/21: Technical Assistance The US Army announced a contract valued $94 million to Lockheed Martin for technical assistance support for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile segment. Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. Work will be performed in Sweden, Kuwait, Poland, South Korea, Romania, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of November 30, 2024.

November 22/21: Sweden Sweden officially inducted the PAC-3 air defense missile system into service on November 18. The PAC-3 is designated as air defense system 103 in Swedish service. The ceremony took place at the Air Defense Regiment in Halmstad.