The United States has approved the sale of 600 Patriot air defense missiles to Germany, the Pentagon announced on Thursday night.

The deal would cost an estimated $5 billion (€4.6 billion).

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe," the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

"It will support Germany's goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as interoperability with US and NATO forces."

The State Department has approved the sale, although Congress must still sign off on the deal.

What is the Patriot air defense system?

The Patriot air defense system can be used to combat enemy aircraft and missiles up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) away at an altitude of 30 kilometers (19 miles) high.

Germany had as many as 36 of the systems during the Cold War, but this number has diminished in subsequent years.

Berlin donated three systems to Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Now Germany's defense forces are down to just nine Patriot systems.

Other European countries including Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden also have Patriot systems.

zc/lo (dpa, AFP, Reuters)