Explained: What is the Patriot missile system that US plans to send Ukraine?

It’s Day 294 of the Russian war in Ukraine and it appears that Kyiv will receive a boost in its defence systems, as the United States is finalising plans to send its sophisticated Patriot air defence system. According to a report in Reuters, the approval is likely to come later this week and could be announced as early as Thursday.

The move comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western leaders on Monday to provide more advanced weapons to help the country in its war against Russia. News agency Associated Press reported that during a video conference on Monday, Zelenskyy told host Germany and other leaders of the Group of Seven that his country needed long-range missiles, modern tanks, artillery, missile batteries and other high-tech air defence systems to counter Russian attacks that have knocked out electricity and water supplies for millions of Ukrainians.

It is not yet clear how many missile launchers will be sent to Ukraine, but the missile system has long been demanded by Zelenskky. There will be challenges in delivering it and operating it, but Washington officials told CNN that “the reality of what is going on the ground” led the administration to make the decision.

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As Ukraine awaits the most advanced surface-to-air missile system, here’s what we know about the weapon system.

About the Patriot

The MIM-104 Patriot (Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target) missile system is the United States Army’s main air and missile defence system. It started out as an anti-aircraft system, but over the years, newer variants are capable of engaging ballistic and cruise missiles, loitering munitions, and aircraft.

Manufactured by the US defence contractor Raytheon, the Patriot is in service with the US and allied countries including Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Poland, Sweden, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Spain, and Taiwan.

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According to the US army, the entire system includes a phased array radar, a control station, computers and generators. According to the US Army, the missile system requires about 90 soldiers to operate and maintain and needs three soldiers to fire it.

It was first developed in the early ’60s to replace both the Nike Hercules and Hawk air defence missile systems. The US Army named the program Surface-to-Air Missile, Development (SAM-D) and the first tests occurred in 1969 and 1970. Following several tests, the US Army activated its first Patriot missile battalion in May 1982.

The advanced Patriot system consists of a Patriot missile — it uses ground-based radar to survey, track and engage targets.

Besides the missile, the Patriot system launches missiles from the M901 launching station. According to howstuffworks.com, the stations include up to four launch canisters that can hold four different missiles, depending on the type. The launchers are about the size of a tractor-trailer rig. Each get its power from the electric power plant (EPP) vehicle.

The Patriot system also carries the AN/MPQ-53 phased-array radar that has a range of up to 100 km, the capacity to track up to 100 targets and can provide missile guidance data for up to nine missiles.

Service history

The Patriot system first saw action in the 1991 Gulf War to shoot down incoming Iraqi Scud or Al-Hussein Missiles launched at Israel and Saudi Arabia. The US Army, which was in charge of the Patriots, claimed an initial success rate of 80 per cent in Saudi Arabia and 50 per cent in Israel. Those claims were scaled back to 70 and 40 per cent.

The Patriot missile later saw combat in the United States’ 2003 invasion of Iraq. In subsequent years, the Patriot system has been used by several US allies. For instance, in 2014, Israel used its Patriot GEM+ missiles to destroy two Hamas drones, two Syrian drones, and a Syrian Su-24.

In the Yemeni Civil War, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates employed Patriot systems to intercept Houthi rockets, missiles, and drones.

As recently as November, Germany had announced that it had offered its own Patriot missiles to Poland, days after a missile landed just inside its borders.

US aid to Ukraine

Ukraine has long been urging US to provide them with the Patriot missile system. However, US has been wary of providing Kyiv with the advanced weapon system, fearing it would be considered as an escalation of war by Moscow.

Besides the Patriot, the US has been providing Ukraine with defence aid as well as humanitarian aid. According to the Ukrainian government, the US delivered two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) last month.

In addition, the US has sent Ukraine 20 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers, or Himars, and a large inventory of satellite-guided rockets with a range of almost 50 miles. Ukraine has described them as among the most consequential weapons of the war.

In November, the US also announced it would be sending Ukraine $400 million more in military aid. This $400 million includes contracts for 1,100 Phoenix Ghost drones, funding to refurbish 45 tanks and an additional 40 riverine boats, among other systems, the Pentagon said.

With inputs from agencies

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