Amid a visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Biden administration on Wednesday made a tremendous military gift to Ukraine in its fight against the Russians:
The Biden administration will send to Ukraine the most advanced air defense weapon in its arsenal, the Patriot missile system, a senior administration official said late Tuesday, marking the most significant addition to American military support for the government in Kyiv in months. ...
Ukraine is to receive one Patriot battery, which has up to eight launchers each that hold between four and 16 missiles, depending on the type of munition used. U.S. forces will train Ukrainians to operate and maintain the system in a third country, probably Germany. "This will take some time," the official said, "but Ukrainian troops will take that training back to their country to operate this battery."
Whether or not you support this particular gift to the Ukrainian military, the Patriot battery itself is an incredible piece of military technology. Here's a quick explainer from the National Guard:
Quite a sight there:
The system itself has been in use since 1981; it has seen service in multiple global conflicts including the Gulf War and the Syrian Civil War. And now, of course, the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
