US plans to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine: What it means for Kyiv and Moscow

Patriot missile systems have long been a coveted shield against incoming missiles for the US and allies in contested areas of the world. In Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific, they guard against potential strikes from Iran, Somalia and North Korea. Now, US has agreed to send a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine — something Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has sought for months to bolster his country’s air defenses against Russia.

What is the patriot missile system?

The patriot is a surface-to-air guided missile system that was first deployed in the 1980s and can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles. Each missile consists of a truck-mounted launching system with eight launchers that can hold up to four missile interceptors each, a ground radar, a control station and a generator.

The current interceptor missile for the Patriot system costs approximately $4 million per round and the launchers cost about $10 million each, Associated Press reported.