How is the sophisticated Patriot anti-missile system that the US will deliver to Ukraine

The White House announced that it will deliver the advanced Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine to try to counter the wave of attacks from Russia with missiles and gifts.

The announcement was made in anticipation of the visit of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyto Washington this Wednesday.

SIGHT: US confirms shipment of Patriot system to Ukraine in new military aid package

Since the start of the war in February, Ukraine has received many air defense systems from the West, from the Stinger portable missile launcher to more advanced radar-guided and heat-sensing systems. All of these offer a broad level of protection against different threats.

The Patriots are another step in that same direction, one that will antagonize Moscow.

They are not a magic bullet, but they are extremely suitable, effective and expensive. A Patriot missile costs about $3 million -Three times the cost of a NASAMS missile (acronym in English for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System). Ukraine has had two NASAM systems in operation for several weeks.

The new Patriot missile battery “will be a critical asset in defending the Ukrainian people from Russia’s barbaric attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure,” the White House said at a briefing.

The Patriots were used against the Scud missiles -of Russian manufacture- launched by Iraq during the first Gulf War and since then its development by the company Raytheon Technologies has continued. They come in batteries that include a command center, a radar station to detect imminent threats, and launchers.

The range to the target is reported to be between 40km and 160km, depending on the type of missile used. It also has what are called “point defense” systems, generally designed to defend particular areas, such as cities or important infrastructure, in other words, high-value resources.

missile chart

High level of training

The delivery of the system that the US announced refers to a single unit comprising a radar station, a control system and of course the missile launchers.

It is likely to be positioned around a strategic resource or a key city for added protection. We won’t know where, since once Western systems pass into Ukrainian hands they effectively become their property, under the control of their national army.

No US or NATO military will be able to operate these systems inside Ukrainian territory. As with other Western weapons, Ukrainian forces will have to be trained to use them, and that training will take place in a third country and “will go on for quite some time,” according to the White House.

The US military has said it will be expanding its training of Ukrainian forces in Germany, starting in January.

Moscow has called the location plans of the Patriots “a provocation” and of further expansion of US military involvement in Ukraine. Russia indicated that those missiles will become what it called “legitimate targets” for missile attacks, a statement that was already made before this war.

The Patriot system defended against Russian-made Scud missile attacks during the first Gulf War in 1990. (GETTY IMAGES)

The decision to send a battery is a clear message that Washington remains committed to doing what is necessary so that Ukraine can defend itself. Iran’s involvement by supplying Russia with attack drones and perhaps other weapons raises concern in the West.

The effect on the ground is to send in more advanced Western systems, something that Moscow did not want to happen.

It’s hard to know exactly what the overall performance of the Patriot systems will be.

They will certainly provide an extra layer of protection, but their size and high cost mean few units will be able to ship.

The White House confirmed a new package of nearly $2 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, which includes the Patriot system.

At the same time, the government is working to pass a bill that would allow it to provide Ukraine with more than $40 billion in additional funds by 2023.

But a recent survey found that eSupport among Republicans for assisting Ukraine in its war against Russia is waningas reported by the news network CNN.

The enthusiasm of the general population to help Ukraine remains strong, although the poll result shows that among Republicans support for military assistance is at 55%, compared to 68% in July and 80% in March.

Source: Elcomercio