'Kyiv needs Patriot Missile Systems to further tackle Russia': Ukraine PM Denis Shmyhal

Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's prime minister has said that Ukraine needs more military aid to overcome Russia's onslaught. According to a report from Associated Press, Ukraine’s prime minister said that Ukraine needs Patriot missile batteries and other air defence systems to counter Russian strikes. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was speaking with French broadcaster LCI. He said that Ukraine also needs more artillery shells and modern battle tanks. Russia has been carrying out strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, since Ukraine attacked the Crimea bridge. The Russia-Ukraine war has not come to a halt due to winter, as some analysts predicted. 

Russia has adopted a more defensive posture to maximise its troop to land ratio whilst relying on drone and missile strikes for aggressive actions. Ever since the Russia-Ukraine war began, no country has accepted Ukraine's demand of supplying it with Patriot missile batteries. Germany has offered the Patriot system to Ukraine's neighbour Poland but not to Ukraine, as Poland is a NATO member and Ukraine is not. If Ukraine gets Patriot missile systems, it will be a significant development. 

What is the Patriot missile system?

The Patriot missile system is a mobile, long-range, surface-to-air defense system designed to intercept and destroy incoming enemy missiles, aircraft, and drones. It consists of a radar system, a missile launcher, and a control center. The radar system is used to detect and track incoming threats. It uses a phased array antenna, which is a type of electronically steerable antenna that can rapidly scan a large area of the sky to detect and track multiple targets simultaneously. The radar system can also communicate with other Patriot batteries and other air defense systems to provide a comprehensive view of the battlefield and coordinate the defense against incoming threats.

The missile launcher is a truck-mounted system that carries up to 16 Patriot missiles. The missiles are solid-fueled and equipped with inertial guidance and an active radar seeker. When a missile is launched, the radar seeker acquires the target and guides the missile towards it, while the inertial guidance system ensures that the missile stays on course. The Patriot missile has a range of about 70 kilometers and can reach speeds of up to Mach 3.5.

The control center is the brains of the Patriot system. It is a mobile command and control vehicle that receives information from the radar system and uses it to calculate the best way to engage the incoming threat. The control center can also communicate with other Patriot batteries and other air defence systems to coordinate the defence against multiple threats.

The Patriot missile system is important because it provides a critical layer of defence against incoming enemy missiles, aircraft, and drones. It is particularly effective against ballistic missiles, which are difficult to intercept due to their high speed and manoeuvrability. The Patriot system has been used extensively in combat, and has proven to be effective in engagements with Iraqi Scud missiles during the Gulf War, as well as more recently in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.