Germany will supply Ukraine with two of its Patriot systems, "but this can only happen if we are certain they can be replaced within 6 to 8 months," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on 22/7.
According to Pistorius, this is to ensure Germany's operational readiness and training capabilities. Without the Patriot systems, the German armed forces would be unable to maintain training activities and would lose training capacity for 1 to 2 years.
"We are exploring options to identify which European countries possess Patriot systems that could be transferred to Ukraine. This is not a hopeless endeavor, but the prerequisite is that the countries owning them must be willing to hand them over so that other countries can purchase them and then provide aid to Ukraine," Pistorius stated.
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A Patriot missile launcher in Schleswig, Germany in 3/2022. Photo: AP |
A Patriot missile launcher in Schleswig, Germany in 3/2022. Photo: AP
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store also confirmed on 21/7 that his country is prepared to share the costs for Germany to transfer Patriots to Ukraine, describing it as the most immediate solution Oslo can offer.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany would transfer two of its nine remaining Patriot systems to Ukraine, after which the US would provide replacements. "However, we haven't purchased the new systems yet. Germany and the US are discussing the supply," Merz stated.
The Patriot is the most expensive weapon system that the US and its allies have provided to Ukraine. Each system costs nearly 1.1 billion USD, with missiles costing 690 million USD and other components around 400 million USD. Ukraine's Patriot systems are equipped with the most advanced PAC-3 MSE missiles produced by the US, which have a maximum range of 120 km against aircraft and 60 km against ballistic missiles.
In May, US media, citing unnamed officials, reported that Ukraine possesses at least 8 Patriot systems, of which 6 are operational and two are under repair. Ukraine has repeatedly praised the effectiveness of the Patriot system, emphasizing that it is the only weapon capable of countering Russia's Kinzhal hypersonic and Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles.
However, the Patriot's interception rate in Ukraine is declining due to the depletion of missiles and launchers, while several batteries have also been attacked and destroyed by Russia. Colonel Yuri Ignat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, acknowledged that Russia is constantly upgrading its Iskander-M ballistic missiles, making the Patriot system "not as effective as desired".
Nguyen Tien (According to DW, Der Standard, AP)
