The United States will provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense system
26 September, 2024 The launcher of the Patriot PAC-3 anti-aircraft system. Photo credits: U.S. Department of Defense
Ukraine will receive an additional Patriot air defense battery and missiles for these SAMs from the United States. US President Joe Biden stated this. On Thursday, September 26, the U.S.
President announced nearly £8 billion in security assistance for Ukraine. As part of this decision, he directed the Department of Defense, in particular, to strengthen Ukraine's air defense. The statement says that to implement this decision, an additional battery of Patriot air defense systems from the US Army's stockpile should be repaired and provided to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The launcher of the Patriot PAC-3 anti-aircraft system with MSE missiles. Photo credits: U.S.
Department of Defense
In addition, additional anti-aircraft missiles will be supplied to these air defense systems. According to Biden, this is a continuation of his decision earlier this year to redirect U.S. exports of anti-aircraft missiles to provide Ukraine with "hundreds of additional Patriot and AMRAAM missiles" over the next year. This will be the second battery of Patriot air defense systems that Ukraine has received from the United States recently.
The previous transfer of such an air defense system to the Ukrainian Armed Forces was announced as part of a military aid package from the United States, which was announced on July 11. It was also announced that missiles would be provided for NASAMS and Stinger air defense systems to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.
Military assistance
In early September, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed a decree on transferring the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. The Romanian Armed Forces are operators of the latest PAC-2 GEM-T and Patriot PAC-3 MSE versions.
Self-propelled launchers of the MIM-104 Patriot system
As previously reported, without the support of the allies, the Netherlands will transfer only its own part of the Patriot anti-aircraft battery to Ukraine.