US bolsters Ukrainian skies with additional Patriot system
According to Bloomberg, the USA plans to send another Patriot system to Ukraine. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the administration is trying to move heaven and earth to help Ukraine.
Anti-aircraft defence is currently one of Ukraine's most sought-after weapons. The army of defenders has been requesting this type of support for a long time due to the tactics employed by the Russians for several months, which include conducting mass shelling and often using aviation for attacks.
In such instances, support for anti-aircraft defence is invaluable – especially when it pertains to Patriot batteries. These systems are capable of intercepting virtually any threat posed by the Russians.
The USA understands how vital Patriots are for Ukrainians. Hence, the Biden administration plans to dispatch an additional battery to the front, safeguarding the Ukrainian skies. According to Sullivan, deploying Patriots should be the highest priority for Kyiv's allies.
The MIM-104 Patriot system, safeguarding the Ukrainian skies since 2023, is a weapon with a history dating back to the 1960s. Then, the USA decided to develop a successor to the then-outdated MIM-23 Hawk system. The fruition of these efforts emerged only in 1984 with the creation of the first Patriot. From the outset, this battery was devised to perform long-range bombardments.
The most significant advantage and assurance of the MIM-104's effectiveness is the advanced AN/MPQ-53 radar included in the set. This tool, emitting waves of 14-30 inches in length and operating at frequencies up to 8 GHz, enables the Patriot to detect targets approximately 100 kilometres away from the radar. Crucially, the system can track up to 125 objects in the air simultaneously and direct missiles to intercept nine of them.
This American surface-to-air missile system can neutralize virtually any aerial threat. The missiles can ascend to an altitude of approximately 26 kilometres and intercept aircraft, helicopters, drones, and all types of rockets: ballistic, manoeuvring, and anti-radar.
When launched from a Patriot launcher, the missile attains a speed of 5 Mach (about 6100 km/h) and is powered by a solid-fuel engine. Its warhead weighs approximately 90 kilograms (depending on the version). Ammunition from a Patriot battery can achieve a maximum range of about 160 kilometres.
