NATO partners send Patriot GEM-T missiles to Germany
The NSPA enables multi-national defence procurement, increasing buying power on bulk order items like the GEM-T Patriot missile. (Photo: Raytheon)
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency will allow other nations to replenish German stock donated to Ukraine.
Germany will have its stockpile of Patriot GEM-T missiles replenished through funds raised by its NATO allies. The move, which will give Raytheon, the company that makes the missiles, a US$478 million payday, will be co-ordinated by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA).
The Agency allows for multi-national defence procurement funding across NATO partners. In this case, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have agreed to foot the bill to re-arm Germany, after Germany’s donation of Patriot missiles to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion of the country.
By funding the Raytheon missile procurement, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands are showing their military support of Ukraine through a convenient procurement arrangement within NATO. President Putin of Russia is on record as blaming NATO encroachment for moves like the Ukraine invasion, and the NSPA funding is a way of sending military aid to Ukraine without depleting overall NATO defence resources.
The GEM-T, the Patriot Advanced Capability 2 missile interceptor, is a key part of the air defence of 19 countries, including eight in Europe. It acts as an interceptor for use against tactical ballistic missiles.
Tom Laliberty, president of land and air defence systems at Raytheon, said that countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway, were “realising the benefits of bundled, multi-national procurement of Patriot missiles through NSPA, including the economies that offer greater affordability and the pre-negotiated contracting framework that shortens the acquisition timeline”.
Laliberty added: “As a result, not only can we better support the missile inventories for these European partners, we can also strengthen our cooperation, their interoperability and their contribution to an essential NATO mission.”
What makes the NSPA work in collaborations like the German missile restocking is the economies of scale achievable by mass multi-national orders, which would be beyond the reach of individual NATO partners at any given time.
Stacy A. Cummings, general manager at the NSPA, said the Raytheon missile procurement was an example of “multinational acquisition, support and sustainment, delivering effective and cost-efficient multinational solutions to nations, while reinforcing European industrial capacities”.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![Ukraine’s ground robot army still finding its feet]()
Ukraine’s ground robot army still finding its feet
Ukraine’s quest to replace soldiers with robots is hitting technical snags. Shephard spoke with industry leaders about difficulties in the field and what solutions are in the pipeline.
-
![DOK-ING presents CUAS MV-8 armed with Valhalla Mangart 25 turret]()
DOK-ING presents CUAS MV-8 armed with Valhalla Mangart 25 turret
The partnership between Croatia’s DOK-ING and Slovenia’s Valhalla Turrets reflects an effort to combine ground robots and with improved capabilities and new roles and follows Rheinmetall presenting its Ox with Dispatch charging docks from Valinor.
-
![British Army vehicle programme may be shifting gears again]()
British Army vehicle programme may be shifting gears again
The UK’s effort to replace thousands of vehicles across a dozen base vehicle types has had a troubled history and statements from the UK’s Defence Minster Luke Pollard indicate change may be on the way.
-
![Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise]()
Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise
Having completed five days of trials with the US Army, the two Scorpion Light mortar systems will stay in Hawaii to take part in planned Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercises in early November.
-
![EOS improving Slinger CUAS role as industry pushes forward]()
EOS improving Slinger CUAS role as industry pushes forward
EOS Defence Systems officially launched its Slinger anti-drone system in 2023. The system features a remote weapon station, visual sensors and a Northrop Grumman 30mm cannon with specially designed ammunition, combined with EOS’s stabilisation and pointing technology.
