The U.S. State Department on October 7 said it had approved the sale to Romania of four Sentinel radar systems and related equipment worth some $110 million. Congress must approve the deal, which is likely. "The proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe," the U.S. statement said. The Sentinel system is used to alert defense assets to incoming hostile targets. Romania has become an increasingly important ally for the United States in Southeastern Europe, bordering Ukraine and with a Black Sea coastline.