https://crsreports.congress.gov
December 23, 2022
PATRIOT Air and Missile Defense System for Ukraine
The PATRIOT air and missile defense (AMD) system is an
integral component of U.S. air and missile defense. The
system and its interceptors are both expensive and limited
in supply. On December 21, 2022, the Department of
Defense (DOD) announced that the United States would
provide a PATRIOT battery to Ukraine as part of a larger
$1.85 billion security assistance package. The provision of
PATRIOT units now, and whether or not the United States
may transfer additional PATRIOT units to Ukraine in the
future, present issues that Congress will face in both its
legislative and oversight roles.
What Is the PATRIOT System?
PATRIOT (Figure 1) is an acronym for “Phased Array
Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target.”
Figure 1. PATRIOT Launcher Stations
Source: Bloomberg, “US Finalizing Arms Upgrade to Ukraine With
Patriot Missiles,” December 13, 2022.
The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle
Management Command (AMCOM) notes:
The PATRIOT is the U.S. Army’s most advanced
air defense system. Capable of defeating both high
performance aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles,
it is the only operational [U.S.] air defense system
that can shoot down attacking missiles. A
PATRIOT battery (the basic firing unit) consists of
about 90 soldiers, but three soldiers in the
engagement control station are the only personnel
required to operate the battery in combat.
Raytheon Technologies manufactures PATRIOT radar and
ground systems, and Lockheed Martin manufactures the
interceptor missiles.
DOD’s December 21, 2022, Ukraine
Security Assistance Announcement
DOD’s December 21, 2022, announcement appears to
represent a change in the Biden Administration’s position
on the supply of PATRIOT units to Ukraine. Since Russia’s
February 2022 invasion, the Ukraine government
repeatedly has asked the United States to supply PATRIOT
systems. The United States to date has provided other, less
capable AMD systems. According to a DOD news article,
“Ukraine Getting Patriot Battery, Other Defense Weapons,”
the United States will transfer a PATRIOT battery under
the provisions of Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA),
meaning PATRIOT battery systems, equipment, and
associated interceptors could be taken from existing
units/stocks within the Army (22 U.S.C.§2318(a)(1)). DOD
further noted:
PATRIOT is one of the world’s most advanced air
defense systems, and it will give Ukraine a critical
long-range capability to defend its airspace. It is
capable of intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic
missiles and aircraft ... Our goal is to help Ukraine
strengthen a layered integrated approach to air
defense. PATRIOT will complement a range of
medium and short-range air defense capabilities
[Stinger and National Advanced Surface-to-Air
Missile System (NASAMS)] that we have provided
and the allies have provided in prior donation
packages ... PATRIOT is a sophisticated air defense
system so training will be required and will take
some time.
How PATRIOT Functions
PATRIOT battery components and how they function are
summarized in a NATO Fact Sheet on Patriot Deployment:
A PATRIOT battery has six major components: a
power plant [two vehicle-mounted 150 kilo watt
(KW) generators], radar set, engagement control
station, launcher stations, antenna mast group, and
interceptor missiles (PAC-2s and PAC-3s).
- The Radar Set provides detection and tracking of
targets as well as fire control. The phased array
radar helps guide interceptors to their targets and is
resistant to jamming.
- The Engagement Control Station calculates
trajectories for interceptors and controls the
launching sequence. It communicates with the
launcher stations and other PATRIOT batteries. It
is the only manned station in a PATRIOT fire unit.
- The Launcher Stations transport and protect the
interceptor missiles and provide the platform for the
