The coalition of countries involved includes Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain

NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) will support a coalition of nations to procure up to 1,000 Patriot missiles to strengthen their air defences amid Russian escalation in Ukraine, NATO has announced on 3 January. The $5.5 billion contract has been awarded to COMLOG, a joint venture between the US company Raytheon and MBDA Germany, located in Schrobenhausen. At the same time, the coalition of allies includes Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain. The contract will expand the European production of the missiles, enhancing supply and ensuring the replenishment of Allied stockpiles.

The large order volume will support the set up of a production facility for Patriot missiles in Germany. Patriot air defence systems can be used to defend against aircraft, helicopters and missiles, intercepting them at great distances. In the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine, NATO has deployed Patriot missile batteries to protect its Allies on its eastern flank. NATO countries have also delivered Patriot systems to Ukraine and are committed to further bolstering Ukraine’s defences.

“I welcome Allies’ timely announcement to invest in up to 1,000 new Patriot air defence missiles to bolster the Alliance’s security“, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “This investment shows the strength of transatlantic defence cooperation and NATO’s commitment to keeping our people safe. Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and towns show how important modern air defences are. Scaling-up ammunition production is key for Ukraine’s security and for ours.”

Meanwhile, on the same day, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that the Alliance agreed to Ukraine’s request for an extraordinary NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in response to Russia’s mass air strikes. He explained that at the meeting, “One of the key topics will be strengthening Ukraine’s air defence. An important sign of Euro-Atlantic unity in the face of Russian terror escalation.”