The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Friday, August 29, released a statement that the U.S. State Department, under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, had approved the potential sale of Patriot air defense systems and related equipment to Denmark, valued at $8.5 billion.
The package includes only six M903A2 launchers, two AN/MPQ-65 radar stations, and a total of 56 missiles: 36 Patriot MIM-104E (GEM-T) and 20 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) MSE missiles, as well as various supporting equipment, spare parts, technical assistance, and more.
Read more: All NATO States Hit 2% Defense Goal — But Belgium Still Lands in the Hot Seat
Despite frequent news about modern weapons pricing, the cost of two batteries (implied by the announced number of radars), each with three launchers and fewer than 60 missiles, at $8.5 billion appears extremely high — even if this is the maximum possible price. As has often been the case, the State Department usually sets the highest possible figure, which can later turn out to be significantly lower once a deal is signed.
Why the announced Patriot package carries such a high price tag remains unclear. It should also be noted that this involves an export sale, where prices can vary drastically between buyers. For example, GEM-T missiles have been sold to different customers at prices ranging from $6 million to as much as $10–12 million per unit — and those were prices from as far back as 2022.
At the same time, it is still unknown whether Denmark will actually buy the Patriot system from the U.S. Back in March of this year, it became known that Denmark, in the framework of building up its ground-based air defense system, would be choosing between the Patriot and the SAMP/T NG. That announcement raised eyebrows against the backdrop of direct threats by Donald Trump regarding his plans to annex Greenland.
Finally, several media outlets have reported that the proposed Patriot sale to Denmark could be linked to Copenhagens plans to purchase the batteries for further transfer to Ukraine. However, it cannot yet be stated with 100% certainty that this acquisition would be specifically intended for Ukraine, although such a scenario cannot be ruled out — even if it remains the least likely one.
Read more: Czechia Secures Gripen Lease Until 2035 What the Fighters Cost the Air Force Annually
