U.S. bolsters Ukraine's air defense with additional Patriot system
According to Bloomberg, the USA plans to send another Patriot system to Ukraine. Jake Sullivan, the US national security advisor, said the administration works meticulously to support Ukraine.
Anti-aircraft defense is the most sought-after support by Ukraine currently. The Ukrainian military has been requesting this type of aid for a while, driven by the Russian military tactics of extensive shelling and frequent use of aviation for attacks.
Such support for anti-aircraft defense is crucial – especially when it comes to Patriot systems. These systems can intercept nearly any threat posed by the Russian forces.
The USA recognizes the importance of Patriots for Ukraine, and thus, the Biden administration plans to dispatch an additional battery to bolster the defense of Ukrainian airspace. According to Sullivan, prioritizing the dispatch of Patriots should be the highest priority for Kyiv's allies.
The MIM-104 Patriot system
Protecting Ukrainian airspace since 2023, the MIM-104 Patriot system's origins trace back to the 1960s. It was then that the USA aimed to develop a replacement for the outdated MIM-23 Hawk system. The fruition of these efforts came in 1984 with the advent of the first Patriot system, designed primarily for long-range bombardment.
The cornerstone of the MIM-104's effectiveness is the advanced AN/MPQ-53 radar it encompasses. This radar, utilizing waves ranging from 3.5-7.5 cm in length and operating at frequencies of up to 8 GHz, enables the Patriot to detect targets up to nearly 100 km away. Notably, it can simultaneously monitor up to 125 objects in the air and guide missiles towards nine of them.
This American surface-to-air missile system is adept at countering virtually any aerial threat. Its missiles can reach an altitude of nearly 26 km and are effective against aircraft, helicopters, drones, and all types of missiles: ballistic, maneuvering, and anti-radar.
The missile, when fired from a Patriot launcher, attains speeds of 5 Ma (over 6100 km/h) and is propelled by a solid-fuel engine, while its warhead weighs approximately 90 kg (depending on the version). Furthermore, the missiles from a Patriot battery can travel up to nearly 160 km.
