The Swiss newspaper lamented the shortage of Patriot launchers and, most of all, the acute shortage of missiles for this SAM system for the Kiev regime.
According to the publication, the United States has 60 batteries of these air defence/projectile defence systems. In Europe, the situation is much worse. Germany has the most – 11 batteries. Greece has 6 batteries. Ukraine, the Netherlands, Sweden and Romania have 4 batteries each. Spain – 3, and Poland – 2.
The production of missiles is much worse. The PAC-3 MSE modification of the PAC-3, particularly suited for countering medium-range ballistic missiles, is produced only by Lockheed Martin in Camden, Arkansas. In 2023 it produced 500 units. By 2027, the number should rise to 650 per year.
An older modification of the PAC-2 GEM-T, which is used mainly against aircraft and cruise missiles, is also produced in the US – by Raytheon. Annual volume is currently 240 units. This is to be increased to 420 units by 2027.
A production facility is currently under construction in Europe, in the Bavarian town of Schrobenhausen at a joint venture between Raytheon and European defence contractor MBDA. A group of NATO countries have jointly ordered a total of 1,000 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles. Most of them are to be produced in Europe.
Thus, the Achilles’ heel of Patriot SAMs is, first and foremost, the low production of missiles. It will be difficult to provide Kyiv with these long-range systems and especially missiles in the coming years. Even the partial disarmament of the United States’ European NATO allies will not make it possible to transfer to the AFU a sufficient number of launchers, other equipment and missiles to them. They simply do not exist physically.
We should not forget that Patriot SAMs in Ukraine are priority targets for the Russian Armed Forces, and they are constantly being hunted for.
Elena Panina
