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Defense Against a Hundred Iskander Missiles Is Worth More Than 1 Billion Dollars

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One of the MIM-104E Patriot complexes that the Netherlands has deployed in Slovakia / Photo credit: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK
One of the MIM-104E Patriot complexes that the Netherlands has deployed in Slovakia / Photo credit: EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

And we haven't even started counting how much launchers for Patriot systems cost

The US State Department has authorized the sale of 96 units of GEM-T anti-aircraft missiles for MIM-104E Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to the Netherlands. The purchase is worth 1.2 billion dollars, the delivery date is not disclosed, Defense Brief states.

The Netherlands has had the Patriot air defense system in service since 1987, with a total of 18 launchers. Initially, the country had at their disposal only PAC-2 anti-aircraft missiles with a warhead weighing 91 kg, later they modernized their Patriots and got the opportunity to use PAC-3 missiles with a warhead weighing 312 kg. Dates of GEM-T missiles delivery depends on what production rates Raytheon can sustain as the main contractor. GEM-T is able to fight against ballistic missiles. And in such a perspective, the Dutch MIM-104E can have only one target, which is Iskander missiles.

Read more: Best Western Helicopters to Be a Good Replacement For the Soviet Mi-8 And Mi-24 In Ukraine (Analysis)
Defense Against a Hundred Iskander Missiles is Worth More Than 1 Billion Dollars, Defense Express, war in Ukraine, Russian-Ukrainian war
One of the MIM-104E Patriot complexes that the Netherlands deployed in Slovakia / Open source photo

This example is illustrative for Ukraine in several ways. First, that a hypothetical re-equipment of Ukraine’s air defense with the MIM-104 Patriot would require billions of dollars of investment and several years of time. Secondly, if there is a chance in Ukraine to receive the Patriot complexes under lend-lease, then this chance should be taken advantage of. At least because for the first time in the 30th anniversary of Independence Ukraine’s allies will be ready to give the billions of dollars necessary for the transition of Ukraine’s army to modern Western-made weapons.

Defense Against a Hundred Iskander Missiles is Worth More Than 1 Billion Dollars, Defense Express, war in Ukraine, Russian-Ukrainian war
One of the MIM-104E Patriot complexes that the Netherlands deployed in Slovakia / Open source photo
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