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Ordered 800 Patriot missiles for missile defense for Germany and three other NATO countries

Gerhard Heiming

January 4, 2024

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), NATO's logistics service organization, has signed a framework contract for the procurement of COMLOG GmbH, the joint venture of MBDA and Raytheon (RTX), on behalf of Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain up to 800 PAC2 GEM-T missiles for the Patriot air defense system to defend against ballistic missiles with a financial volume of 5.6 billion US dollars (equivalent to 5.1 billion euros). The NSPA as well as Raytheon and MBDA informed about this in press releases on January 3rd.

The German share in the contract is 500 missiles worth three billion euros, of which 100 missiles have been firmly ordered as replacements for levies to Ukraine for 602.1 million euros. The delivery of a further 400 missiles for 2.4 billion euros is to be ordered in the current year as soon as orders are possible in the 2024 budget. Financing comes from the Bundeswehr special fund. Originally, the 602.1 million euros from the federal government's training aid were to be covered in individual plan 60, but this is no longer possible after the agreement on the 2024 budget.

The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag released the funds at the last meeting of last year on December 13th. Since the term of the contract for the German share runs until 2033, follow-up financing from the core budget of Section 14 will be required from 2028 at the latest. According to the financial plan, around 760 million euros still have to be paid.

The first series missiles are expected to be delivered after six years, i.e. in 2030. The others will follow in three-digit annual installments until 2034. Test equipment and flight test samples are to be delivered around four years after the contract is concluded.

The NSPA has entered into a Direct Commercial Sales (DSC) agreement with COMLOG. According to NSPA, the contract includes the qualification of updated components, the addition of new suppliers, test equipment and spare parts to support future maintenance. To support production and delivery, COMLOG will expand the production capacity of GEM-T missiles in Europe. The consolidated multinational procurement in line with the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) offers economies of scale and supports the expansion of production capacities for new GEM-T missiles to meet increasing demand. The new production capacities for GEM-T missiles in Europe increase security of supply and help replenish Patriot missile stocks.

COMLOG is setting up a final assembly line in Germany in the existing Patriot Maintenance Facility (PMF-3), writes the BMVg. The production shares of the subcontractors MBDA, Bayern Chemie, TDW Gesellschaft für Wirksysteme, Sener Aerospacial and RTX are brought together there and the missiles are manufactured.

The NSPA provides technical support, including for qualification and technical changes by the US government, through a contract in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process.

Über den Liefervertrag wird die COMLOG neben RTX das einzige Unternehmen, das diese Flugkörper unter den ITAR-Regeln herstellen darf. Nach den International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) dürfen Güter, die in der United States Munitions List (USML) aufgeführt sind (wie die GEM-T-Flugkörper), nur mit Genehmigung des Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) verkauft, exportiert und transferiert werden.

“Through close Euro-Atlantic collaboration between allies and industry, NSPA has enabled the consolidation of requirements through the award of this complex contract,” said NSPA CEO Stacy A. Cummings. “The customer nations have achieved economies of scale, reduced their logistical burden and receive competent solutions and support in a proven, turnkey legal framework.”

Thomas Gottschild, Managing Director MBDA Germany, added: “The contract strengthens industrial and military capabilities in Europe. The order volume enables MBDA to set up a production facility for Patriot missiles in Germany and to manufacture important sub-components. The COMLOG facility is currently the only one of its kind for the Patriot missile outside the United States. Overall, the order supports the European Patriot user states, creates jobs in Germany and strengthens the supply chain for ammunition.”

Raytheon's President Land & Air Defense Systems, Thomas Laliberty, noted Raytheon and MBDA's broad network, along with NSPA, the US Army and suppliers in the region. This will offer European partners a GEM-T program that will increase NATO's inventory of air defense missiles, strengthen NATO's deterrence and maintain the operational readiness of Patriot air defense systems across Europe. “This combined procurement strengthens cooperation between European Patriot allies,” Laliberty continued.

The Patriot GEM-T (Guidance Enhanced Missile) is a PAC-2 missile (Patriot Advanced Capability 2) that has been given a new digital proximity fuse and radar seeker specifically for defense against tactical ballistic missiles. The US Army's PAC-2s have all been converted to GEM-T or GEM-C (against aircraft and cruise missiles).

COMLOG is converting PAC-2 rockets for the Bundeswehr and delivered the first converted rockets in December 2022 (ESuTreported). The main field of activity of the company, founded in 1987, is the logistical support of Patriot PAC-2 missiles with the aim of maintaining operational capability, according to the joint press release. Since its founding, the company has maintained more than 5,000 PAC-2 rockets at PMF-3 in Schrobenhausen. COMLOG's main customer is NSPA, which works on behalf of the European Patriot user countries and the US Army.

The NSPA maintains numerous support partnerships for the exchange of operational experiences and the logistical support of weapon systems. Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, the United States and, as an associated state, Sweden, have joined forces in the Patriot Support Partnership (PSP). The PSP's tasks include joint multinational procurement, in which the NSPA leverages its experience and achieves economies of scale. Only Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain took part in the “Consolidated Missile Buy” shown here.

Gerhard Heiming

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