America is sending another powerful air defense system to Ukraine

The United States is planning to provide Kyiv with a second MIM-104 Patriot air defense system according to recent reports that cited statements from two senior U.S. officials. 

The New York Times reported that senior administration and military officials revealed President Joe Biden has approved a plan to send a Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine. 

Biden's decision came after a series of high-level meetings and internal debate aimed at figuring out how Washington could help assist its ally amid Moscow's renewed strength. 

Officials in Washington have recognized the pressing air defense needs facing Kyiv but needed to ensure any help sent to Ukraine would not degrade U.S. combat readiness. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Gieling, Rob (CAVDKM), CC0

The MIM-104 Patriot is considered to be the best air defense system in the world due to its radar system and mobile launchers, which can fire four missiles at incoming targets. 

“It is also one of the scarcest weapons systems in the U.S. arsenal,” explained the New York Times. The Pentagon does not disclose the number of operational Patriot systems. 

One American senior military official has previously claimed that the U.S. The Army currently has 14 Patriot air defense systems deployed inside of the United States and worldwide. 

The new Patriot air defense system being deployed will not be dispatched from the U.S. but rather from Poland, where it’s been defending American soldiers on deployment. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Lawree Roscoe Washington Jr., U.S. Army, Public Domain

“Officials describe moving the critical systems around the world’s hot spots like a shell game, assessing which global crisis requires them most, “ the New York Times noted. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By MApN, CC BY-SA 3.0

The U.S. officials who spoke with the New York Times noted that the Patriot air defense system would be within days depending on the required maintenance and modifications. 

The New York Times published its report on June 11th so it’s possible that the Patriot air defense system is already operating and defending the skies over Ukrainian territory. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnky has been calling on his allies to supply Ukraine with more air defense systems for months in the face of ongoing Russian aerial attacks. 

While in Madrid in May 2024, Zelensky revealed Ukraine needed at least 7 more Patriot systems to defend against the 3,000 bombs being launched into Ukraine every month.  

The Associated Press reported that the air defense systems were needed to protect the country from powerful Russian glide bomb strikes on its power sector and civilian areas. 

“If we had these modern Patriot systems, (Russian) airplanes wouldn’t be able to fly close enough to drop the (glide) bombs on the civilian population and the military,” Zelensky told reporters during a press conference during his visit to Madrid. 

The Patriot air defense system costs roughly $1 billion dollars according to Newsweek, which makes it an expensive addition to the assistance already being provided to Kyiv. 

The United States has already sent one Patriot air defense system to Ukraine according to the U.S. State Department, making this new Patriot system the second given to Kyiv.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Facebook @dustin.weese

Germany and the Netherlands have also both provided Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems, the New York Times noted. Germany is also planning to send another system. 

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