According to information published by the American News TV channel "CNN" on December 13, 2022, the United States finalizes a plan to send Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense could officially announce a decision this week.
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U.S. soldiers from 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conducted Patriot Missile live fire training, on November 5, 2022, at McGregor Range Complex on Fort Bliss. (Picture source U.S. Dod)
During a press briefing that was held on December 13, 2022, the Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder said “I don't have anything to announce regarding the delivery of Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine". "The U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) does maintain a robust dialogue with our Ukrainian partners with our allies, and our international partners on Ukraine security assistance needs to include battlefield capabilities that they may need as well as air defense", he added.
The Russian armed forces continue to strike the main cities of Ukraine as well as Ukrainian forces using drones and different types of tactical missiles. The Ukrainian President continues to request the United States and allied countries to provide more air defense systems.
Citing information from the American TV news channel CNN, there is no information about the number and types of Patriot air defense systems that could be sent to Ukraine. If the plan is accepted by the U.S. government, the Patriot could be quickly sent in the coming days and Ukrainian soldiers will be trained in a U.S. military base in Germany.
The PATRIOT is a surface-to-air defense missile defense system able to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones. The first PATRIOT batteries were deployed by U.S. Forces in the mid-1980s. During the first Gulf War, it was used to defend against the Iraqi Scud ballistic missile threat.
A patriot battery consists of six major components including up to eight launcher stations each carrying four ready-to-fire missiles, a power plant, a radar set, an engagement control station,, the antenna mast group, and the interceptor missiles themselves.
The latest generation of Patriot missiles including the PAC-2, PAC-3, and MSE are able to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles with a range from 15 to 20 km. The radar components of the Patriot battery are able to detect and track aerial threats at a range of up to 150 km.
