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A Ukrainian Patriot unit commander said his crew was firing one interceptor missile for every Russian missile.
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That’s a departure from standard Patriot air defense doctrine, which calls for at least two interceptors per missile.
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It’s unclear how common this practice is.
A Ukrainian commander revealed that some soldiers operating the Patriot air defense system are deviating from traditional engagements and firing fewer interceptors in battles against incoming Russian missiles.
The Patriot unit commander, identified as Oleksandr in a video released by the Ukrainian military’s Western Air Command over the weekend, said that while standard air defense doctrine calls for firing two to four interceptors against each Russian cruise or ballistic missile, his forces only launch one missile per threat amid strained stockpiles.
Oleksandr said his forces are trying to use as few interceptors as possible. He said they need more to effectively counter Russian attacks. It is unclear how widely this one-shot method is practiced among the Ukrainian Patriot squad.
Launching more than one interceptor during a fight, while costly, is not necessarily wasteful; rather, it is deliberate risk management that prioritizes destruction over preservation. But Ukraine often doesn’t have that luxury. In a high-intensity war, the United States and its allies might not do the same.
Yehor Cherniev, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian parliamentary committee on national security, defense and intelligence, said Ukraine is facing a low reserve of Patriot interceptors, forcing the country to use as few as possible to attack Russian missiles.
To preserve essential interceptors, Ukraine must learn to make the most of its capabilities, Cherniev told Business Insider. “This is the operation of the Patriot system in manual mode, not relying on automation.”
A Patriot launcher at an undisclosed location in Ukraine.Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Products made in America MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile The battery is the most advanced air defense system that Ukraine possesses. NATO countries have provided Kiev with newer PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors, each estimated to be worth nearly $4 million.
Russian ballistic and cruise missiles that bypass Patriot and other air defense systems have struck civilian infrastructure or residential areas with deadly effectiveness. Kiev has repeatedly lobbied NATO countries to provide more interceptor missiles to supplement the depleted stockpile. However, this weapon is in high demand globally.
Some of Russia’s bombardments have included hundreds of missiles and drones, posing a challenge to Ukraine’s dense air defenses and highlighting the need for more advanced interceptors.
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s defense minister, said on Tuesday that Germany would provide Kyiv with funding for “several hundred” Patriot interceptors as part of a new arms package worth 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion).
During the Iran war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would be willing to send interceptor drones to Middle Eastern countries in exchange for their vaunted Patriot interceptors.
The American-made Patriot system occupies a leading position in Ukraine’s air defense network.Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images
American officials previously told Business Insider that the US Army, the main operator of the Patriot system, is learning from Ukraine’s experience that it is important to keep batteries hidden, mobile and stocked with enough interceptors.
Using fewer interceptors against Russian missiles could be another lesson for the United States and NATO allies concerned about their stockpiles of interceptors in the event of a major war against a near-peer adversary.
Cherniev said that NATO countries do not need to break protocol at this time because they have enough stockpiles and are not regularly hit by large ballistic missile bombardments; however, he said, this could change in the event of a large-scale war.
In the Middle East, the US and allied forces intercepted thousands of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones during five weeks of prolonged fighting. The speed and intensity of those engagements have raised concerns about whether the interceptor missile stockpile can be sustained during a prolonged or future conflict.
Cherniev said NATO forces may eventually be forced to start rescuing interceptors. “It would be better if they learned how to do this in advance from Ukrainian officers and made changes in their protocol now.”
Read the original article on Business Insider