Ukrainian Patriot batteries in the last month have shot down as many as a dozen Russian air force fighter-bombers, blunting Russia’s aerial advantage as the wider war grinds into its third year. All that is to say, the Ukrainians lost—in one calamity—up to 13 percent of their Patriot launchers. It’s unclear why the Ukrainian Patriot crews didn’t have their own air-defense cover while traveling. It’s possible the Ukrainian air force is stretched too thin protecting Ukrainian cities and ground troops also to protect itself. That’s because U.S. firm Raytheon is the sole builder of Patriot hardware, although a German partner does contribute to the production of Patriot missiles.

Source: Forbes March 10, 2024 15:33 UTC