Fears grow that Ukraine could run out of US-supplied Patriot missiles
INQUAM PHOTOS/George Calin
- Fears are growing that the US will cease Patriot missile supplies to Ukraine.
- The US may soon find the supply of the expensive interceptor missiles unsustainable.
- As Congress threatens future Patriot supplies, it is hoped NATO can fill the gap.
The White House and Pentagon have warned that the supply of Patriot interceptor missiles may soon be unsustainable, given their substantial cost, The New York Times reported.
The Patriot missiles cost a staggering $2 million to $4 million each.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration's request for another $61 billion in support for Ukraine has been stalled by the Republicans in US Congress, who are demanding the military aid be paired with tougher immigration controls along the US-Mexico border.
As Russia intensifies its winter bombardment and employs a diverse range of missiles and drone weapons, Ukrainian defenses are reliant on Patriot missiles.
The Patriots have proven more than their worth to the Ukrainian defenders against Putin's top weapons.
On Tuesday, Ukraine said it shot down all 10 of the new Kinzhals fired during a vicious air assault, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine praising the incident as "what heroism supplied with advanced systems looks like."
Indeed, Russian President Vladimir Putin once said the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal was an "undefeatable" system.
"Given that the Patriot is one of the few systems that can effectively shoot down ballistic missiles, and ballistic missiles cause the most casualties, I think the number of lives saved during the war is in the thousands," Volodymyr, a Ukrainian major, told The New York Times.
Nato could come to the rescue
Russian Ministry of Defense/YouTube
Exploiting fears regarding the future of Ukraine's air defense systems, Russia is increasing its missile barrages against its neighbor in the hopes of further depleting its dwindling Patriot stocks.
Jade McGlynn, a Russian politics researcher and a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider that depleting Patriot stocks is "clearly part of" Russia's strategy.
All Ukraine's Patriot interceptors have been strategically placed around Kyiv to protect the capital. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy would like at least "a dozen" more to protect other key cities like Kherson and Odesa, Politico reported.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has endured over 3,800 drones and 7,400 missiles directed at its towns and cities.
The complexity of the attacks has prompted the testing of various air-defense systems, ranging from truck-mounted Stingers to the advanced French-designed SAMP/T.
The Patriots, designed to counter ballistic missiles, stand out in their ability to intercept incoming attacks. Yet, the unpredictability of future missile supplies leaves Ukrainian commanders uncertain about their defensive capabilities.
But as Congress threatens future Patriot supplies, it is hoped NATO can fill the gap if the US supply drys up.
Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain could provide 1,000 Patriot missiles to the wartorn country as the missile provision becomes less tenable for the US, AP News reports.
The contract could be worth around $5.5 billion, per AP News.
Contributer : Business Insider https://ift.tt/KYiTWGV
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Monday, January 08, 2024
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