(LibertySociety.com) – The Patriot missile is a phased array tracking radar system that covers a large swath of the battleground to target incoming airborne enemy attacks. Reuters explained the technology can stop various types of missiles and drones before they cause destruction. The Patriot was built by Raytheon Technologies Corp and has been used in combat by 18 different countries since 1991. Soon, one more region can join the list — Ukraine.
On January 10, Stripes reported that defense officials announced it was bringing some Ukrainian troops to Fort Sill in Oklahoma to train them how to use the Patriot system. Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder said American troops will do the training, saying it takes about 90 people to “operate and maintain” the system.
Breaking news: The Pentagon is planning to bring Ukrainian troops to the United States for training on the Patriot missile defense system, a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the development said Tuesday. https://t.co/Dp6GG0pmdY
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 10, 2023
Typically, a full understanding of how to work the defense resource takes a year, but the Ukrainian military members will be receiving an accelerated version starting next week. That’s because there isn’t time to waste, as officials claim the sovereign country needs “long-range” defense capabilities now to defend its airspace.
On December 21, the White House confirmed President Joe Biden would announce an almost $2-billion package for Ukrainian defense. It included the Patriot missile battery the government called essential to ward against Russia’s attacks. Initially, training to operate the system was planned to take place in Germany, but that plan changed.
Russian Ambassador to Washington, DC, Anatoly Antonov, spoke out after the training announcement. He told Tass the US wants to do as much damage to Russia as possible. Antonov also said it shows America is increasing its involvement in the conflict.
The Patriot system is not yet in Ukraine, but maybe by the time it arrives, the troops will have received the proper training to take full advantage of the advanced system.
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