Patriot missiles are an effective but expensive air defense system. Graphics show how they work.
The U.S. and Ukraine are disputing Russia’s claim that it destroyed an American-made Patriot missile defense system Tuesday during an airstrike on Kyiv.
Russia said a hypersonic Kinzhal missile destroyed the Patriot system, but U.S. officials said the Kinzhal was intercepted by multiple Patriot missiles. Officials said the Patriot system is still operational but sustained minor damage in the Russian attack.
The incident focused new attention on Patriot missiles, which began arriving in Ukraine in April. The missiles are considered one of the most effective U.S. air defense systems but are considered expensive and limited in supply.
Ukraine began asking for Patriots in August 2021, five months before Russia invaded Ukraine. The U.S. said in December 2022 that it would send a Patriot battery as part of a $1.85 billion assistance package to Ukraine, a move that was viewed as a strong commitment to the country.
Ukraine has two Patriot systems, one from the U.S. and another from Germany and the Netherlands.
What is the Patriot missile system?
The Patriot is a truck-mounted surface-to-air guided missile system. It started production in the 1980s and can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles. It is constantly being updated, manufacturer Raytheon says.
The cost of supplying Patriot missiles to Ukraine is about $400 million for the system and $690 million for the missiles, a total of $1.1 billion, according to estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Patriot is an acronym for Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target. Each Patriot battery has:
- A truck-mounted launching system with eight launchers.
- Launchers, which can hold up to four missile interceptors each.
- A ground radar unit.
- A control station.
- Generators.
- Antennas.
Can't see our graphics? Click to reload.
It takes about 90 soldiers to operate a Patriot battery. Training on the system takes time, the Congressional Research Service reports:
- Launch system operator: 13 weeks
- Fire control operator: 20 weeks
- System repairer: 53 weeks
The missiles have been ground-based, but Lockheed Martin unveiled a system in January that could be used to launch Patriots from U.S. Navy ships.
Who has Patriot missiles?
After transferring one battalion to Ukraine, the U.S. Army has 15 Patriot battalions. A 2018 International Institute for Strategic Studies report found those pre-transfer battalions operated 50 batteries, which have more than 1,200 missile interceptors, The Associated Press reported.
At least 16 other nations have Patriot systems:
NATO members
- Germany
- Greece
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Poland
- Romania
Non-NATO nations
- Japan
- South Korea
- Israel
- Kuwait
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- Taiwan
- Bahrain
Patriot missiles have been criticized in the past. A Foreign Policy report in 2018 called them "lemons." Military officials said the story was "hyperbole," according to The New York Times. However, in a 2022 report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the system has "successfully engaged scores of missiles and drones in the Yemen Missile War."
_________
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Associated Press; Congressional Research Service; Raytheon