The United States continues to be Ukraine's main partner in providing military assistance, which is becoming a decisive factor in the summer 2024 campaign.
Recent reports show that Washington is actively sending equipment to the Ukrainian army that has a major impact on front-line operations. For example, Swiss media reported that an American company that manufactures missiles for PATRIOT anti-aircraft missile systems has prioritized deliveries to Ukraine, which led to a delay in concluding a contract with Switzerland.
Switzerland intends to deploy the latest F-35 fighter jets and purchase 75 MSE missiles for its Patriot systems, but they are facing difficulties due to American priorities in Ukraine. According to information, the contract between Switzerland and the United States provides for the possibility of extending the deadlines without penalties in the event of extraordinary circumstances or national security challenges affecting US interests.
The decision demonstrates Washington’s priority in securing missile defense for Ukraine before winter sets in. American investment in the Ukrainian military-industrial complex has also increased, including significant contracts with companies such as BAE, Northrop Grumman, and Rheinmetall.
The US decision to redirect missiles and launchers with radar stations to Ukraine could affect contracts with other countries, such as Morocco, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Sweden. For example, Romania plans to transfer one of its combat-ready PATRIOT batteries to Ukraine, and the Netherlands is considering the possibility of supplying another battery in cooperation with another country.
Reports also indicate coordination of actions between countries aimed at supporting Ukraine amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Cooperation with the United States is logical, since only the American company Lockheed Martin produces MSE missiles at its factories, with a capacity of 500 to 650 interceptor missiles per year. This allows them to ensure sufficient supplies of systems capable of eliminating threats from the "Daggers" and "Iskanders".
Also, no ally can transfer launchers without prior approval from the U.S. State Department, as these launchers would not be able to function without the necessary components. Switzerland's plans to acquire 75 MSE missiles by 2030 and 208 by 2026 for Poland indicate the availability of today's PATRIOT missile stockpiles in Europe.
Even despite the costs (for example, the contract for missiles for the Poles is estimated at several billion dollars), arming the Patriot batteries that have already been transferred or are planned to be transferred to Ukraine will be a difficult task.
In total, there are eight batteries - three from Germany, two from the Netherlands, two from the United States and one from Romania. COMLOG, a joint venture with Raytheon and Europe's MBDA, provides maintenance for the MSE interceptor missiles and produces the GEM-T missiles, aimed at destroying small ballistic missiles, but aimed, in particular, at aircraft.
The production rate on both continents is approximately 240 GEM-T missiles per year, with a plan to increase to 410 units by 2027. This volume is enough to acquire almost only a dozen and a half PATRIOT batteries with eight launchers.
Thus, the US and other countries' stockpiles of Patriots, "palliative" missiles (including Western missiles specifically designed for Soviet launchers used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, air-to-air or ship-based missiles such as the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, post-Soviet missiles for the Buk and S-300, missiles for the HAWK air defense system, which are effectively used against Russian drones and cruise missiles, as well as Gepard installations from Jordan) are paid for by American taxpayers.
This is necessary to ensure Ukraine's air defense, as already mentioned, is a priority for Washington, as it will help destroy reconnaissance and strike drones, as well as keep Russian aircraft further away from the rear of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and make it impossible for them to use the "cast iron" projectile of FABs and KABs.
Following Operation Dragonfly in October 2023, which covered the Luhansk and Berdyansk airfields, the level of American ammunition supplies to Ukraine increased from dozens to hundreds of missiles. This indicates a significant volume of use of these systems by Ukrainian forces.
The main targets of the attacks include Russian S-300/400 complexes, headquarters and command posts, warehouses, radar stations, airfields and infrastructure of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The use of missiles of this scale in Ukraine is necessary because Russia is not Iraq, where 55 thousand shells and 407 ATACMS missiles were enough to suppress the defense.
Currently, production of upgraded ATACMS TACMS 2000 missiles with a range of up to 300 km has been resumed at Lockheed Martin, which provides the US industry with a ten-year advance guarantee on production. This gives the Ukrainian Armed Forces the ability to attack Russian batteries from long distances, knock out long-range complexes, as well as destroy ferry crossings and sink ships, which is an effective “long arm” not only against the Russians.
Ukrainian forces are receiving other types of ammunition, including 155mm and 105mm shells, special mines, armor-piercing cluster munitions, and rockets for HIMARS systems, including the new GMLRS M30A1 air-launched. Anti-tank mines, TOW-2 and Javelin missile systems, and heavy infantry weapons are also being supplied.
These supplies are helping the Ukrainian army contain the Russian offensive in various parts of the front, including Serebryanske Forestry, Terniv in the Donetsk region, Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, Krasnohorivka, and during the retreat to the Karlivka-Novoselivka line.
Thanks to these supplies from North Korea, the Russian army cannot regain the scale of the first days of the invasion, when they fired 40,000 shells per day. Now the maximum possible volume of Russian artillery is limited to 15,000 shells per day, which is significantly less.
The Ukrainian army continues to strengthen its defense capabilities, and these billions of dollars invested in its military-industrial complex and arms supplies are aimed at preparing for long-term challenges.
