Biden rushes aid to Ukraine before Trump takes office
The Joe Biden administration is working to secure as many aid packages for Ukraine as possible before Donald Trump takes office, as Trump's policy toward Ukraine remains unknown. The latest package includes ammunition for systems crucial for Kyiv's survival.
9:12 AM EST, November 10, 2024
The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukraine will soon receive 500 missiles for the Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems. This supply should meet Kyiv's needs through the end of 2024.
This delivery is crucial as temperatures drop and the Russians intensify attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure, such as conventional power plants and combined heat and power plants.
NASAMS and Patriot air defense systems — a shield against cruise and ballistic missiles
The NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) was developed through a collaboration between the Norwegian firm Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and the American company Raytheon. It entered service in Norway in 1998. Over time, NASAMS has been enhanced, with its second generation introduced in 2007 and the latest third variant appearing recently.
This open architecture system uses air-to-air missiles as interceptors. This design choice simplifies logistics by eliminating the need for dedicated missiles in anti-aircraft systems. NASAMS can be easily integrated with over 25 confirmed radar types and missiles compatible with the Mil-Std 1760 aircraft rail.
NASAMS's advantage is its ability to adapt to new interceptors through software updates and launcher adjustments, which contributes to its export success. The system is used in 16 countries, including the USA, where it protects Washington. It is currently configured to use AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, including the extended-range (ER) version, as well as AIM-9 Sidewinder and IRIS-T missiles. There is also a potential for integration with MBDA Meteor missiles, although this decision depends on future users' preferences.
The operating range of the NASAMS system heavily depends on the selected missiles, spanning from just over 6 miles to about 25 miles. For instance, using AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, the range is about 20 miles, and for the ER variant, it is slightly over 25 miles. The system is suitable for targeting drones, helicopters, aircraft, and cruise missiles. However, ballistic missiles pose a challenge, making NASAMS a perfect complement to Patriot systems designed to counter such threats.
The Patriot is a medium-range system capable of engaging targets at distances up to 75 miles for PAC-3 MSE/CRI and 99 miles for PAC-2 GEM-T missiles, making it ideal for countering Russian bombers deploying glide bombs.
Aside from European systems like SAMP/T and the older MIM-23 HAWK, it is currently the only system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at distances of about 25 miles from the launcher. The primary disadvantage of the Patriot is its sectoral radar with a detection field of 120 degrees and the high cost of missiles, which can reach several million dollars. The most expensive are the PAC-3 MSE and CRI missiles, which have their own radar head and can operate in "fire-and-forget" mode.
Despite being older batteries from the 1980s-1990s, along with a battery from Romania, they are capable of handling what was once considered the very dangerous Russian hypersonic weapons.
