A CNN report on Tuesday stated that United States government is finalizing plans to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. The report cited two US officials and a senior Biden administration official.
Patriot missile defense systems are widely considered amongst the most capable long-range weapons to defend airspace against incoming ballistic and cruise missiles as well as some aircraft.
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The weapons system has long-range and high-altitude capability, and therefore has the potential to shoot down Russian missiles and aircraft far from their intended targets inside Ukraine.
Russian has been targetting Ukraine Energy infrastructure with missiles for weeks, and this reality on the ground is said to be the major factor that made the Biden administration to start plans to supply the Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
Ukraine has been asking for the system for months, calling for the US to send the advanced long-range air defense system that is highly effective at intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles as it comes under a barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks that have destroyed key infrastructure across the country.
The US had sent patriot batteries to NATO allies and Ukraine neighbors like Poland as way to bolster their defenses, and sent other weapon systems such as HIMARS rocket system and NASAMS surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine.
The Pentagon’s (US Defence Department) plan still needs to be approved by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before it is sent to President Joe Biden for his signature. CNN reported that the three officials told it that the plan is expected to receive the required approval from President Biden.
A typical Patriot system includes a radar set that detects and tracks targets, computers, power generating equipment, an engagement control station and up to eight launchers, each holding four ready to fire missiles. Unlike smaller air defense systems, Patriot missile batteries need much larger crews, requiring dozens of personnel to properly operate them. The training for Patriot missile batteries normally takes multiple months.
Once the plans are finalized, the Patriots are expected to ship quickly in the coming days and Ukrainians will be trained to use them at a US Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany, the officials are reported to have said.
More than a dozen US allies have purchase the Patriot missile defense system; Germany, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq etc.
The Patriot air defense missile system – Patriot stands for “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept of Target” – is designed to counter and destroy incoming short-range ballistic missiles, advanced aircraft and cruise missiles.
It is manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
