Spain becomes PAC-3 user

Spain has operated a Patriot battery at Adana Airport in eastern Türkiye since January 2015 as part of NATO's Operation ‘Active Fence'. (Spanish MoD)

Spain has signed an agreement with the United States to buy Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles and related support equipment, Lockheed Martin announced in a press release on 17 July. Spain will be the 16th PAC-3 user, the company said.

Lockheed Martin noted that PAC-3 MSE features advanced capabilities to defend against threats, including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonics, and aircraft, and will improve Spain's air and missile defence capabilities against evolving threats.

Spain's Council of Ministers approved the PAC-3 contract on 25 June. With an estimated value of nearly EUR2.4 billion (USD2.6 billion), the contract includes equipment associated with the system, initial logistical support, technical assistance, and training.

The Council of Ministers said on the Spanish government's website the same day that the modernisation of Spain's Patriot air-defence systems was necessary to ensure interoperability with other allied countries and to be able to meet the country's international commitments. It added that the current configuration of Spain's system is obsolete and increasingly interoperable.

The US Department of State notified Congress in October 2023 of the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Spain of PAC-3+ modernised fire units for an estimated cost of USD2.8 billion.

At the time, US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said that the Spanish government had requested four PAC-3+ modernised fire units consisting of PAC-3 MSE missiles, 24 Patriot M903 launchers, four AN/MPQ-65 radar sets, four AN/MSQ-132 engagement control stations, and two information co-ordination central (ICC) control stations.