NATO allies boost Ukraine with advanced air defense systems

The United States will continue to provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems, along with its allies. Additionally, Ukraine is set to receive SAMP/T, IRIS-T, NASAMS, MIM-23 HAWK, and Gepard anti-aircraft systems. What are the capabilities of these weapons?

Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz responded to the "New York Times" that none of the Patriots will come from Poland, although there were no changes in the force structure. The magazine suggests that the US administration decided to give Ukraine a Patriot system used to protect American soldiers in Poland.

Patriot systems have proven highly influential during the war in Ukraine, and the defending army has been seeking additional deliveries for months. Since NATO countries have confirmed the delivery of five additional such anti-aircraft systems, more systems are expected. These systems are anticipated to come from the USA, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands, with other countries contributing to assembling an additional battery.

Patriot is a ground-to-air missile air and missile defense system. The system, produced by the American company Raytheon, consists of several components, including launchers, a command post, and a phased-array radar responsible for detecting targets.

With the help of Patriots, it is possible to combat enemy objects (including ballistic missiles) up to 100 miles away, moving at an altitude of up to 15 miles. The exact range depends on various factors, including the radar and launcher version, type of target, and missiles used. In the MIM-104 variants, missiles reach a speed of about Mach 3 after launching, while in the PAC-2 and PAC-3 variants, they can reach up to Mach 5.

The SAMP/T anti-aircraft system promised by Italy should also significantly boost the Ukrainian army. Developed through the collaboration of French and Italian defense companies, it enjoys an excellent reputation. It relies on using Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles, with ranges (depending on target type) of up to about 19 and 62 miles, respectively.

Regarding NATO countries' declarations, Ukrainian Defence Express noted that "dozens of tactical air defense systems" will also reach the front. However, this is not about new commitments but a reminder of earlier obligations from allies. This might indicate forthcoming deliveries, which will be a tangible benefit for Ukrainians, as the list includes NASAMS, MIM-23 HAWK, IRIS-T SLM, IRIS-T SLS, and Gepard air defense systems.

An exciting mix of modern weapons (NASAMS and IRIS-T) and older ones (MIM-23 HAWK and Gepard) exists. However, the example of MIM-23 HAWK shows that even older equipment can still perform well in modern armed conflict.

Ukrainian soldiers using MIM-23 HAWK say it works very well, even against drones. This is notable because this American medium-range anti-aircraft missile system was designed in the 1960s, well before drones were considered targets. The range of the MIM-23 HAWK varies from 16 miles to 25 miles, depending on the system version, as later ones were modernized and have better performance.