Priority missile deliveries to Ukraine as the US halts other contracts
The Defense Express portal reminds us that the United States has granted Ukrainians priority in delivering Patriot and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles (for F-16 fighter jets). This means that for the next 16 months, Kyiv will have precedence in receiving this valuable ammunition. So, how many missiles will reach Ukraine during this period?
In addressing the question of what having priority will mean for Ukrainians in terms of receiving American ammunition, analysts from the Defense Express portal provide clarity. The Pentagon's decision to grant Ukraine priority in delivering the missiles above for Patriots and F-16s means that all contracts for delivering this ammunition to recipients other than Taiwan are suspended until the end of the fiscal year 2025, i.e., until 1st October 2025.
For Ukrainians, this means that for approximately 16 months, they will be treated as a priority regarding the production and delivery of missiles. Given the American military industry's production capacities, what specific quantities of ammunition can be expected?
Ukrainians have priority for the receipt of American missiles
Analysts at Defense Express point out that the priority given to Ukrainians refers exclusively to missiles produced in the USA, specifically GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE for Patriots and AIM-120 for F-16 fighter jets.
The publication reveals that the American company Raytheon recently announced it could produce 20 GEM-T missiles per month, equating to 240 missiles annually. As for the PAC-3 MSE, the Pentagon estimates production capacity at 500 missiles annually (40 missiles per month). Meanwhile, the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for the F-16 are currently produced in about 500-800 units annually. Still, current orders require increased production to 1,200 units annually, which, as noted, is the maximum capacity.
Therefore, considering the current production data for all three types of missiles, the total production volume over the next 16 months will be 320 GEM-T units, 640 PAC-3 MSEs, and 640-1060 AIM-120 missiles. Analysts also note that Americans are likely to enhance production efficiency, so the number of missiles produced might be slightly higher.
It is worth mentioning that the PAC-3 MSE missiles for the Patriot system are ammunition with a length of 17 feet and a diameter of 10 inches. The weapon accelerates to a speed of Mach 5, which is over 3,800 mph, and its maximum range reaches 28 miles. GEM-T, on the other hand, is an improved missile equipped with a proximity fuse and an increased-accuracy radar receiver featuring new electronic components.
AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles are intended for F-16 fighter jets, have a length of over 12 feet, and accelerate to Mach 4, nearly 3,000 mph. Their range reaches 47 miles, and out of the entire structure weighing over 330 pounds, about 44 pounds is the warhead.
