South Korea to buy 64 Patriot PAC-3 MSE missiles.

The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea (ROK) of 64 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles for an estimated cost of $501 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.

Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) (Picture source: The Chosun Ilbo)

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has requested to buy 64 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) Missiles. Also included are 2 PAC-MSE Test Missiles, range and test programs, publications and technical documentations, training equipment, spare parts, personnel training, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $501 million.

The PAC-3 missiles will serve as a core component to the ROK’s future Korea Air Missile Defense (KAMD). This sale will increase interoperability between the ROK’s ground and sea-based (Aegis) BMD forces and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), which not only affects ROK national security but also the security of the U.S. personnel assigned in the ROK. This sale will provide the ROK with the capability to defeat lower tier Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) threats, and will decrease the ROK’s reliance on the deployment of U.S. combat forces to maintain stability in the region.