U.S. delays missile shipment to Switzerland, prioritizes Ukraine
The Swiss are awaiting deliveries of missiles for the Patriot system, which they ordered last year. However, the problem is that the USA's priority is now Ukraine. According to the Swiss daily Blick, this has resulted in the suspension of ammunition deliveries to Switzerland.
8:02 AM EDT, June 19, 2024
The Russian Federation has been intensifying shelling towards Ukraine for months. Simultaneously, there is a constant shortage of missiles in the defenders' arsenal, including ammunition for one of the most valuable systems on the front—the Patriot system.
The USA, prioritizing support with PAC-3 missiles for Patriots, understands Ukraine's problems well. The war in Ukraine has caused the Swiss to face a "defense capability failure," the report states. The United States has halted the delivery of the mentioned ammunition to Switzerland to deliver as many weapons as possible to Kyiv in the shortest period.
Blick reminds that the Swiss ordered PAC-3 missiles worth 300 million Swiss francs (approximately 340 million USD) in 2023. Despite the agreements signed with the USA, they will have to wait longer for the delivery. It remains unclear how much longer the delivery process for Patriot missiles will be extended, but it is already considered a "blow to defense capabilities" by the local authorities.
Previously, the Swiss blocked aid to Ukraine
In light of the issues related to the availability of PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems and their delivery delays, it's worth noting that not long ago, the Swiss blocked the re-export of nearly 100 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine. The authorities in Bern imposed restrictions on 96 inactive Leopard units, meaning the machines—despite their planned transfer to Berlin—could not end up in Ukraine.
The solution to this problem was to get Switzerland's consent to station the Leopards in another NATO or EU member state other than Germany. However, this required sending other tanks from Germany's arsenal to Ukraine and replacing them with Leopards.
Valuable Patriot complexes
The Patriot air defense system is a weapon with a history dating back to the 1960s. At that time, the USA decided to replace the aging MIM-23 Hawk system, leading to the development of newer air threat combat technology. The result appeared shortly afterward, in the 1980s, with the first Patriot model emerging then.
The American system was created to eliminate every threat remaining in the air. Patriot is effective in combating helicopters, airplanes, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. This is thanks to advanced missiles that, upon leaving the Patriot launcher, can reach an altitude of 15 miles and engage targets within 99 miles of the launch site. The missile accelerates to speeds over 3,800 mph.
Also significant is the AN/MPQ-53 radar, which is part of the Patriot complex. This device can track up to 125 objects within 62 miles of the radar while simultaneously guiding missiles to nine objects.
