In the spring of 2023 Ukraine received a powerful reinforcement for its air defense – Western partners handed over several Patriot air defense systems. This missile system can even shoot down Russian hypersonic ballistic missiles Kh-47M2 Kinzhal and other ballistic missiles as well.
Launch of a MIM-104 Patriot missile. Ukraine has been using Patriot systems since the spring of 2023. Image credit: Bernd vdB via Wikimedia
The representative of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat, talked about the successful use of the Patriot air defense system in Ukraine. By November 27, thanks to the Patriot systems the defenders of Ukraine managed to shoot down 15 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles.
The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal is a hypersonic missile. Russia has taunted it to be impossible to shoot down. Sort of like an undeniable weapon. In theory, it has been known that the MIM-104 Patriot could deal with it, but there was no proof of that. However, on May 4, 2023, Ukraine’s air defense claimed a hypersonic Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ballistic missile was shot down by a Patriot missile defense system.
Pretty soon it was confirmed not only by the Ukrainian officials, but also by a Pentagon spokesman. It was reported that multiple Patriot missiles were fired at different angles to intercept the Kinzhal missile.
Ihnat also noted that with the help of Patriot systems dozens of ballistic missiles were shot down in Ukraine. He emphasized that the MIM-104 Patriot has already proven its worth.
“We already have 15 downed Kinzhals. In addition, dozens of ballistic missiles flying towards Kyiv were shot down,” Ihnat said.
Russian propaganda called the Kinzhal a missile that “has no analogues in the world” and is “impossible to shoot down”. At the same time, Russian propagandists called the Patriot an obsolete system. Well, now they will have to rethink these ideas. There were reports that the developers of the Kinzhal were in serious trouble after the announcement that Patriot managed to defeat it.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, as of November, Russia still has about 80 Kinzhal missiles. The Russians can only produce 1-2 missiles of this type per month. It is estimated that one Kinzhal missile costs around 10 million dollars. And it is not surprising, because Kinzhal flies up to Mach 10 (3,400 m/s) speed.
The MIM-104 Patriot is definitely not the latest word in military technology. It’s been in service since the early 1980’s. However, the Patriot was used in so many different conflicts in different parts of the world and was updated so many times that it is surely one of the best if not the best air defense systems available.
Written by Povilas M.