How Many Patriot Systems Does Ukraine Have?

The United States has approved the deployment of a second Patriot missile system to Ukraine amid ongoing Russian strikes, according to media reports.

President Joe Biden approved the decision last week after discussions on how to support Ukraine’s air defense needs without compromising U.S. military readiness, as reported by the New York Times on Wednesday.

The Patriot missile system, designed by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon, is one of the most advanced air-defense weapons in the Pentagon’s arsenal. It includes a powerful radar system and mobile launchers capable of intercepting incoming projectiles.

Currently, Ukraine is known to be in possession of at least two Patriot missile defense systems. One system was previously donated by the U.S., and another was jointly provided by Germany and the Netherlands.

This newly approved Patriot system will come from Poland, where it has been used to protect American troops preparing to return to the U.S. from stations overseas. Officials told the Times that the system is expected to be deployed on the Ukrainian front lines in the coming days.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine needs “at least” seven Patriot systems to shield its major cities. He noted that Russia launches an estimated 3,000 missiles, drones, and other projectiles at Ukraine each month.

But the Patriot system, which costs about $1 billion, is in high demand worldwide, and the U.S. and other nations deploying Patriots say they have few to spare. Just 14 systems are deployed globally.

Earlier this week, Germany committed to sending another Patriot to Kyiv. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Berlin will deliver the weapon along with Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and an IRIS-T air defense system.

Zelensky expressed his gratitude: “Germany is a global leader in helping us with air defense. Thank you for the Patriots, IRIS-Ts, and other systems.”

The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly urged allies to send more Patriots and other air-defense systems as Russia steps up its aerial attacks. Last month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed the urgent need for more Patriots to defend key regions such as Kharkiv and Odesa.

“Give us the damn Patriots,” Kuleba said in an interview in March.

Zelensky has lobbied for numerous Patriot systems, with up to eight batteries each, “to cover Ukraine completely.” Several NATO countries, including Denmark and Norway, have agreed to send 100 interceptor missiles to bolster Ukraine’s air defense.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host a meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss Ukraine’s ongoing weaponry needs, with a particular focus on air defenses. He will be joined by ministers of defense and senior military officials from nearly 50 nations to discuss the state of the war.