Raytheon, a business unit of RTX, secured a $627m agreement to provide the Netherlands with additional Patriot air and missile defence system equipment.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence confirmed that the new contract, signed on 7 April 2026, includes the delivery of a “Fire Unit”, which features a radar, fire control centre, several missile launchers, spare parts, and logistical reserve.
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The new Patriot system will be put into operation at the Defence Ground-Based Air Defence Command (DGLC) within the next few years, according to the ministry.
Raytheon global Patriot senior vice president Pete Bata said: “Raytheon continues to partner with the Dutch government to modernize its integrated air and missile defence capabilities to deter aggression. Raytheon is accelerating production to deliver these critical systems quickly.”
The Patriot system, supported by command-and-control capabilities, is designed to counter tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, alongside a range of air-breathing threats.
Each launch platform carries four missile canisters, capable of transporting, aiming, and firing missiles.
Since its initial deployment, the Patriot missile has undergone modifications resulting in variants such as the PAC-2, PAC-3, GEM-T, and PAC-3 MSE missiles.
The Netherlands Ministry of Defence website states that the country uses PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles to counter medium-range air threats.
The Patriot missile’s operational range extends up to 70 kilometres (km), reaching altitudes above 24km. Missile flight times range from under nine seconds to up to three and a half minutes.
According to the RTX website, since fielding, the Patriot system has recorded use in more than 250 combat engagements by five nations.
Since January 2015, Patriot units are reported to have intercepted over 150 ballistic missiles during operations worldwide.
Patriot remains the principal air defence system for 19 countries, including nine in Europe.
In late 2024, the US State Department approved the sale of two Patriot launching stations to the Netherlands, with Lockheed-Martin Missiles and Fire Control and RTX as the main contractors.
That deal, worth $224m, was followed by another contract in January 2025, when Raytheon received a $529m worth order to deliver a Patriot “Fire Unit” and related support equipment to the Dutch military.
