/ world today news/ Additional “Patriot” anti-aircraft missile complexes are being transferred to Kyiv. They appeared in Ukraine six months ago, and already some results can be summarized. How do the Armed Forces use expensive American air defense systems?
“Only he can handle it”
At the end of November, the German ambassador in Kyiv, Martin Jaeger, confirmed that Kyiv will receive a Patriot system from Berlin this winter. Apparently, it is a single battery: a command post, a radar station and up to eight launchers. The Armed Forces already have at least two such batteries.
But this is clearly not enough. Zelensky asked for 50.
“Currently, this is the only Western air defense system that can work against ballistic missiles such as Iskander or Kinzhal,” explains military observer and founder of the “Military Russia” website Dmitry Kornev. “The question is how effective it is.” , he adds.
American air defense systems belong to the so-called object air defense. That is, they protect a specific immovable object. One battery is known to be in Kiev. There are different assumptions about where the others are. One of the versions is the airport in Starokonstantinovka, from where the Ukrainian Su-24s take off with the Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles.
Another option is Odessa. There is a large transport hub there, through which grain is exported and weapons obtained. Bloomberg, by the way, reported that Germany intends to provide Ukraine with air defense systems to cover up grain shipments.
Dance with Daggers
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said the Patriot is supposed to be able to shoot down 15 hypersonic Daggers simultaneously. He did not give any confirmation.
He also claimed that on May 13, a Ukrainian crew of a US air defense system shot down several Russian military aircraft over the Bryansk region. The Russian Ministry of Defense knows nothing about it.
“It is not clear how the very bulky Peytrot can be used in this case,” says Kornev. “This system must be delivered to the site, deployed, prepared for combat work. Cables need to be laid, auxiliary power units and individual trailers must be launched. The German Iris-T is much more mobile.”
The American air defense system is not designed for fast movements. It usually stays in one position for several days.
“Therefore, aviation or space intelligence can detect it. Then – a strike, which probably happened near Kiev in May,” the expert notes.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a multipurpose radar station and five Patriot launchers not far from the Ukrainian capital were “hit and destroyed” by the Dagger. The US acknowledged the damage, but not that it was critical.
Experts, including Western ones, point out: as good as “Patriot” is, it is vulnerable. Like any air defense system, when the radar station is turned on, the air defense system is unmasked. And if at that moment there is both a flying radar and attack aircraft with hypersonic missiles in the air, the attack will be effective.
Anyway, since May, according to the Ukrainian military itself, the “Patriots” have not shot down a single Russian plane.
“Most likely, our command took some measures to prevent this type of attack. Perhaps it was possible to provide more or less constant control of the A-50 long-range radar detection and control aircraft. Or they introduced “more order in the organization of flights. Every problem is solved in a complex manner,” Kornev believes.
“They need more of these”
Today, in Kiev, they do not risk moving not only the “Patriot” to the front line, but even Abrams tanks – they protect the expensive American equipment.
And existing air defense and missile systems are still insufficient – even with new supplies. This is the second major flaw of the American air defense system.
“The high price leads to a shortage of quantity. This applies both to the complexes themselves and to the ammunition,” Kornev clarifies.
At the same time, those countries that could really share air defense systems unique to the West with Kiev are in no hurry to do so.
We are primarily talking about the manufacturer – the USA, but not only about them. In June, it became known that Poland will spend 15 billion dollars to buy 48 launch vehicles. That’s about eight batteries. None of them are planned to be transferred to Ukraine.
Translation: V. Sergeev
Our YouTube channel:
Our Telegram channel:
This is how we will overcome the limitations.
Share on your profiles, with friends, in groups and on pages.
#Russia #measures #Ukrainian #military #hide #Patriot
