US approves transfer of 600 Patriot missiles to Germany
Photo: Germany will get 600 Patriot missiles (Getty Images)
The US State Department has approved a potential sale of up to 600 missiles for Patriot systems to NATO ally Germany, valued at around $5 billion, informs Reuters.
"The proposed sale will improve Germany’s capability to meet current and future threats and increase the defensive capabilities of its military," stated the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
According to new NATO defense plans, Germany will need to quadruple its air defense capabilities to protect infrastructure and armed forces in the event of severe tension or war, one security source told Reuters last month.
Germany had 36 Patriot air defense systems when it was a leading NATO state during the Cold War. Today, German forces have reduced to nine Patriot complexes, after three were transferred to Ukraine following the Russian invasion in 2022.
Lockheed Martin will be the prime contractor for the potential sale, which includes associated equipment and technical support, the Pentagon agency reported.
The agency informed Congress about the potential sale on August 15.
