Multiple media outlets, citing Swiss official sources, report that the rapid supply of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine will be sourced from a procurement contract between Switzerland and the United States. Five fire units of Patriots comprising 17 launchers — a number that caused resonance as a signal of a massive shift in U.S. policy towards arming Ukraine — will now be redirected to support Ukrainian forces in line with new U.S. priorities. The supplies to Switzerland will be delayed.
These details transpire from a post by the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) of Switzerland which, in turn, refers to information from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Read more: Beyond Promises: How Many Patriots and Long-Range Missiles Could Ukraine Really Get?
Defense Express reminds that, in 2021, Switzerland contracted five Patriot fire units (batteries/full systems) alongside 36 F-35A multirole fighters for a total $6.5 billion. First Patriots were to arrive in 2026.
Within the deal, the systems' configuration included 17 launchers and a stock of 70 GEM-T interceptors to feed them, plus five AN/MPQ-65 radars, six MIDS-LVT data distribution terminals, and five AN/MSQ-132 engagement control stations. Later, in November 2022, the U.S. Department of State also authorized the supply of another 72 PAC-3 MSE ballistic interceptors and related materiel to Switzerland for $700 million total.
Presumably, each Swiss Patriot battery will thus have three launchers, similar to Swedish units that began arriving in 2021. The other two launchers could have been procured by Switzerland for backup — to remain in storage until needed.
How exactly the U.S. is going to resolve bureaucratic and legal issues that may arise with the redirection to Ukraine of air defense systems manufactured to order by Switzerland, remains an open question for now. As the U.S. administration earlier said, sponsoring the delivery of Patriots to Ukraine will be Kyiv's European backers.
"It is currently unclear how many systems will be affected and whether the delivery of guided missiles will also be affected," reads the statement by DDPS. But theoretically, a reinforcement of all five Patriots with 17 launchers and up to 140 anti-aircraft missiles on top would be a much needed revitalization of Ukraine's air defenses, especially against the persistent ballistic missile attacks from russia.
However, Switzerland's reaction to this arrangement, initiated by the U.S., is a different matter. Although it generally aligns with the sentiment in the country's leadership which even proposed to abandon the decades-long neutral status. In August 2024, a DDPS commission recommended to withdraw from neutrality commitment citing nuclear imperialism of the russian federation and that the Kremlin had become a systemic threat even to this neutral and equidistant country in Europe.
Read more: Lockheed Martin Plans to Boost Patriot Missile Production to 750 per Year, But It Needs Help from All Over Europe
