The U.S. State Department recently approved the potential sale to the Netherlands of more than $241 million worth of PAC-3 missiles.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued a press release on September 24, that announced that the U.S. State Department had approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Netherlands of Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $241 million.
The announcements say that the Government of the Netherlands has requested to buy 34 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles. Also included are 8 kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE Missile Round Trainers (MRT), 6 kitted 2-pack PAC-3 MSE Empty Round Trainers (ERT), 4 PAC-3 MSE Skid Kits, 1 Lot of Classified PAC-3 MSE Concurrent Spare Parts (CSPs), 1 Lot of Unclassified PAC-3 MSE CSPs, and PAC-3 MSE repair and return processing support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve security of a NATO ally which is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Northern Europe,” the DSCA notice says.
It is also important to note that DSCA said the prime contractor will be Lockheed-Martin, Dallas, TX.
Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defense system designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft.