Ukraine could receive up to 90 new Patriot air defense missiles from Israel through US transfer.

As reported by Barak Ravid on January 28, 2025, the United States has transferred approximately 90 Patriot air defense interceptors from storage in Israel to Poland for further delivery to Ukraine. This marks the largest known transfer of Israeli-stored weaponry to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Additionally, a decommissioned Israeli Patriot battery has been sent to the U.S. for refurbishment, with the potential for it to be provided to Ukraine at a later stage.
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The Patriot system was first deployed in Israel in 1990 during the Gulf War to counter Iraqi Scud missile attacks. Initially operated by U.S. forces, it was later transferred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and designated Yahalom, or Diamond. (Picture source: IDF)

The transfer was conducted via U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo planes, which transported the interceptors from a southern Israeli airbase to Rzeszów, Poland, a key logistics hub for military aid to Ukraine. The interceptors will be used with Ukraine’s existing Patriot batteries, while additional equipment, including radars, will first undergo refurbishment in the U.S. before potential delivery. An Israeli official confirmed that Russia was informed in advance of the transfer and emphasized that Israel was merely returning the Patriots to the U.S., not directly supplying them to Ukraine. A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the system had been returned to the U.S. but claimed Israel had no information about its final destination or whether it had reached Ukraine.

President Trump's administration recently implemented a 90-day freeze on most U.S. foreign aid, except for military assistance to Israel and Egypt. The freeze does not explicitly exempt aid to Ukraine, raising concerns about potential delays in future military support. While previously approved aid to Ukraine, including this potential transfer of Patriot interceptors from Israel via U.S. facilitation, has proceeded, new assistance may be subject to additional scrutiny. At the same time, military aid to Israel has continued without interruption, including the authorization of munitions deliveries. However, some reports suggest that certain military aid flows to Ukraine, secured before President Trump's inauguration, continue unaffected, though future assistance, particularly further transfers of Patriot systems or interceptors to Ukraine may be subject to increased scrutiny and potential delays.

Israel initially delayed approval of the transfer, citing concerns that Russia might retaliate by supplying modern weapons to Iran, even though Iran had already received several Yak-130 light attack aircraft as well as Sukhoi Su-30 and Su-35 fighter jets. Ukrainian officials first proposed returning the missiles to the U.S. after Israel decommissioned its Patriot system, but Netanyahu reportedly avoided engagement on the issue for weeks. According to a Ukrainian official, Netanyahu ultimately agreed to the transfer in late September after seeking approval from President Volodymyr Zelensky for the annual pilgrimage of ultra-Orthodox Israelis to Uman, Ukraine. However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office denied any link between the missile transfer and the pilgrimage, stating that Netanyahu had not objected to the return of the Patriot system to the U.S.

Ukraine currently operates seven Patriot air defense batteries, with contributions from the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the country requires an additional 10 to 12 Patriot systems for broader air defense coverage. (Picture source: US DoD)

The Patriot system was first deployed in Israel in 1990 during the Gulf War to counter Iraqi Scud missile attacks. Initially operated by U.S. forces, it was later transferred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and designated “Yahalom” (Diamond). In Israeli service, the system was used for air defense against aerial threats, including drones and aircraft. During the 1991 Gulf War, it was employed against incoming Scud missiles, though its interception rate was later reassessed. The first documented successful engagement by the Israeli Air Defense Command occurred in 2014 when a Patriot missile shot down a drone over Gaza. The system was also used during the Syrian Civil War against drones and aircraft, with confirmed engagements including the downing of a Syrian Su-24 in 2014 and a Syrian Su-22 in 2018. It intercepted several drones launched from Syria and Lebanon, while other engagements were unsuccessful. Between 2014 and 2024, the system recorded 19 interceptions, nine of which took place during the ongoing conflict.

Israel operated the MIM-104D Patriot PAC-2 GEM+ variant, which included modifications to enhance its capabilities against aerial threats. The system used a track-via-missile guidance system, and the GEM+ variant featured an improved radar seeker with increased sensitivity to low radar cross-section targets. The interceptor was equipped with a fragmentation warhead, with a proximity fuze designed to optimize detonation timing against ballistic missiles and drones. The PAC-2 GEM+ had an estimated maximum range of 160 kilometers for aerial targets and an engagement altitude of up to 24,000 meters. The phased-array radar provided multi-target tracking and engagement capabilities. Israel implemented additional modifications to meet operational requirements before phasing out the system. By 2024, all eight of its Patriot batteries had been decommissioned and replaced with domestic air defense systems, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow.

Ukraine has operated the Patriot system since 2023 to counter Russian missile and drone attacks. The system has been integrated into Ukraine’s air defense network and has been used to intercept various aerial threats, including Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles. It has also been employed against long-range missile strikes targeting infrastructure and military sites. In May 2023, a Patriot battery reportedly intercepted multiple Russian aircraft over Bryansk Oblast, including a Su-34, a Su-35, and several Mi-8 helicopters. Ukrainian operators have also adapted the system alongside other air defense assets, with reports indicating efforts to integrate Patriot interceptors with Soviet-era radars as part of the "FrankenSAM" program. Additional deliveries of Patriot missiles remain a key component of Ukraine’s air defense planning.

As of January 29, 2025, Ukraine operates seven Patriot air defense batteries, with contributions from the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania, with at least one Patriot launcher destroyed. The U.S. and Germany have each supplied three batteries, while Romania has provided one. Additionally, the Netherlands has donated five Patriot launchers. Finally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine requires an additional 10 to 12 Patriot systems for broader air defense coverage. Future deliveries may be subject to the U.S. foreign aid freeze, which does not specifically exempt military assistance to Ukraine.