Photo: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine / Facebook
Germany has delivered a new batch of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, strengthening the country’s air defense against advanced aerial threats.
According to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the new ammunition is capable of intercepting ballistic and maneuvering targets, including hypersonic missiles.
“PAC-3 destroys the target not with fragments but by a direct hit using the hit-to-kill technology. Destroying the warhead in the air reduces risks for cities and critical infrastructure,” the ministry said.
Key features of the PAC-3 missile
Speed of up to 6,170 km/h
Active radar seeker for precise targeting
Capability to rapidly change trajectory to intercept maneuvering targets
Designed to destroy threats via direct kinetic impact
A single Patriot launcher can carry up to 16 PAC-3 missiles, allowing it to intercept the same number of targets before reloading.
According to Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser to the Ukrainian president on communications, Ukraine has received about 600 modern Patriot missiles since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
For comparison, during just one week of the conflict involving Iran, countries in the Middle East reportedly used more than 800 Patriot missiles to intercept over 2,000 Iranian kamikaze drones and more than 500 ballistic missiles.
