US to Send Patriot Missiles to Ukraine, CNN Says…

CNN is claiming Washington may finalize plans to send the Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine. However, what CNN doesn’t say is just as important:

– The US says it will send the missiles in days after the decision is made;

– It takes MONTHS to train crews to operate the Patriot missile system;

– NATO personnel will likely operate the missile system posing as Ukrainians;

– The Patriot missile system is suffering a global missile shortage;

– Lockheed will double missile production but it will take years to do so;

– Both current and future production numbers CANNOT match the number of cruise missiles alone Russia is producing per month;

– Russia is also using Iskander missiles, Geran-2 drones, as well as a number of inert decoys which will place even more pressure on Ukrainian air defenses;

– The performance of Patriot missile systems in Saudi Arabia has been poor;

– Patriot missiles will face more sophisticated and more numerous threats in Ukraine than in Saudi Arabia;

References:

FT – Military briefing: escalating air war depletes Ukraine’s weapons stockpile:
https://www.ft.com/content/fbd6dc6e-4…

CNN – Exclusive: US finalizing plans to send Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine:
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/13/po…

Al Jazeera – Saudi Arabia may run out of interceptor missiles in ‘months’:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1…

WSJ – U.S. Sends Patriot Missiles to Saudi Arabia, Fulfilling Urgent Request:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-send…

Defense News – Lockheed to double Patriot missile production as orders explode:
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2018…

NYT – Russian Cruise Missiles Were Made Just Months Ago Despite Sanctions:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/05/us…

NYT – Russia Is Using Old Ukrainian Missiles Against Ukraine, General Says:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/wo…

NBC News – Why U.S. Patriot missiles failed to stop drones and cruise missiles attacking Saudi oil sites:
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion…