The Patriot anti-aircraft missile system will be included in the new package of military aid that the United States will provide to Ukraine.

The corresponding information was confirmed by US President Joe Biden 

Patriot will be critically important for the defense of Ukraine against enemy cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as aircraft.

However, the Ukrainian military needs time to learn how to use new weapons.

The Kremlin reacted nervously to the US decision and declared that the Patriot would become "legitimate targets" for the Russian military.

TSN.ua found out how the transfer of the American Patriot complex to Ukraine will affect the course of the war in Ukraine.

How the Armed Forces reacted 

Yuriy Ignat

, the spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian SSR

, said on the air of a nationwide telethon on the Youtube channel of TSN that the Patriot complex is one of the best today, and it is used by "leading countries of the world that think about their own security."

According to Ignat, it is not yet known which Patriot modification Ukraine will receive - "

we hope that it will be one of the best advanced systems capable of destroying not only aerodynamic, but also ballistic targets

."

An Air Force spokesman noted that one Patriot battery "should be just the beginning."

"It is clear that if we are already attached to this system, as with Iris-T and NASAMS, this perspective for us should be continued in the future. This is taking it into service, training personnel, providing the state's air defense system, creating an echeloned Air defense," he said.

When asked what exactly will be included in the US military aid package, the officer answered:

"A battery is a unit that consists of support vehicles, a transport and charging vehicle, a command post, a radar and launchers.

There can be from 4 to 8 launchers in a battery. One launcher contains four anti-aircraft guided missiles

. That's it a unit that can be located and cover a fairly large area of ​​the front, airspace."

As Ignat said,

the Patriot's attack range is up to 150 km for aerodynamic purposes

.

"It is possible to imagine how to place these systems that can cover important strategic objects, the front line, critical infrastructure objects in those directions where the higher military leadership of the state will decide," he noted.

A very expensive and very effective weapon

Military expert

Petro Chernyk

noted that the MIM-104 Patriot is

perhaps the best machine in its class, but incredibly expensive - "it costs within 170 million dollars per installation, and the missile for it - up to 3 million dollars

. "

Chernyk recalled that at least one battery had been declared, and expressed the opinion that "there won't be any more."

According to him, even one battery will significantly improve the coverage of the Ukrainian sky:

"At what point these machines will work, it really doesn't matter. The whole of Ukraine is at risk, and any area is important... One machine is 4 missiles. Even if you go by the minimum, 4 machines is 16. That's pretty good.

And if at the maximum, a battery of 8 vehicles, then this is 32 missiles that can work at the same time. The last volley of missiles over Ukraine is 60 missiles. So, this system can take half of it

."

According to his estimates, Patriot will help the Armed Forces of Ukraine to raise the rate of successful shooting down of enemy aerial targets to 85-90%.

At the same time, the expert reminded that there is no "miracle weapon" that can cover the sky completely.

How will Russia respond?

Military and political commentator

Oleksandr Kovalenko

believes that Russia will throw all its forces into the destruction of the Patriot air defense system.

"The only unforeseen consequence that can be expected from the Russian Federation is that when Ukraine receives these complexes,

Russia will try to destroy them. Destroy them as a priority. As an element of reputation, propaganda

. They will direct 60-70 missiles at the exact location where , as they think, this combat division will be deployed," Kovalenko predicts.

At the same time, the expert added that Patriot air defense systems increase the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defense against cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as aircraft and helicopters. 

Read also:

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