Latest news with #PatriotMissile
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Forbes
These Patriot Missiles Are Israel's Trash And Ukraine's Treasure
A Patriot missile launcher is pictured during the "Blue Flag" multinational air defense exercise at ... More the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on November 8, 2017. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images) MIM-104 Patriot missile air defense missiles previously in Israel's inventory may have reached Ukraine. Kyiv doubtlessly welcomes with open arms any help it can get bolstering its beleaguered air defenses, especially as it faces its heaviest missile and drone bombardments of the war. In Israel's case, its history with the Patriots suggests it's probably more than happy to dispense with them. In an interview published on June 8, Israel's ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, said that ex-Israeli Patriot systems are now in Ukrainian service. 'These are Israeli Patriots that were in service in the early 1990s. We agreed to transfer them to Ukraine,' Brodsky said. 'Unfortunately, not much was said about this… when people claim that Israel didn't provide military aid, that's simply not true.' The Israeli Foreign Ministry swiftly denied Brodsky's comment, stating, 'It is not correct. Israel did not transfer Patriot systems to Ukraine.' From the moment Israel decided to retire its Patriots in 2024, it was clear that Ukraine hoped it would receive at least some of them. By then, Kyiv had received some Patriot systems and already succeeded in shooting down some of Russia's most advanced missiles and aircraft. The Israeli denial was noteworthy in light of a year's worth of reports indicating the contrary. The Wall Street Journal reported in June 2024 that the U.S. and Israel were nearing an agreement to transfer up to eight Patriot systems from Israel's inventory to Ukraine, a move it correctly noted would 'dramatically increase' Ukrainian air defenses. Axios reported in January that the U.S. military had transferred approximately 90 Patriot interceptor missiles from Israel to Poland en route to Ukraine. Furthermore, the New York Times reported in May that an Israel-based Patriot system would be sent to Ukraine following refurbishment. Israel may not want to acknowledge a transfer. The wording of the denial specifies it did not send systems but doesn't mention the interceptor missiles, which Ukraine could fire from its existing Patriot batteries. Consequently, Israel could truthfully say that it gave Ukraine the bullets but not the gun. According to that Axios report, Israel reassured Russia it was 'only returning' a Patriot system to the U.S., not transferring it to Ukraine. A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an Israeli Patriot was returned to the U.S. but also clarified that 'it is not known to us whether it was delivered to Ukraine.' Israel's official denial may indicate it doesn't want any credit for helping beef up Ukrainian air defenses to avoid antagonizing Russia, which recently wanted to stay in Syria to counterbalance Turkey. When Russia's ally Bashar al-Assad was still in power, the Russian military was in a much more powerful strategic position in Syria than today. During those years, Israel invariably said it did not want to risk antagonizing Moscow, with which it had a deconfliction mechanism in Syria permitting it to bomb Iran-linked targets throughout the country, by supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons. It even refused an American request for vintage Hawk missiles it had retired long ago. Now, Israel may be happy to dispense with its Patriots without acknowledgment. Israel noticeably did not use any Patriots during Iran's April and October 2024 missile attacks and the more recent Iranian bombardments that began on June 13, after Israel's Operation Rising Lion against Iran. That's not surprising, considering Israel's Arrow and David's Sling systems are more suitable for intercepting ballistic missiles compared to its older Patriot PAC-2s. Furthermore, Israel's experience during its first major missile attack—during the Persian Gulf War all the way back in 1991—fostered a long-running distaste for the system. America rushed Patriot systems to Israel ahead of that war to help defend against Saddam Hussein's Scud missiles. Washington feared an Israeli retaliation would splinter the coalition, which included many Arab states it had carefully united around the goal of ejecting Iraq from Kuwait. While over 40 Scud missiles hit Tel Aviv and Haifa during the war, an agitated Israel sat tight. Adding insult to injury was the inability of the Patriot interceptors to counter the overwhelming majority of the Scuds, despite widespread reports of its efficiency at the time. The Israeli Air Force concluded after the war that there was 'no evidence of a single successful intercept' with 'circumstantial evidence for one possible intercept' at best. Defense Minister Moshe Arens recalled after the war that the number of Scuds intercepted was 'minuscule and is in fact meaningless.' With some conspicuous exceptions, the Israeli Patriots spent the intervening decades, in the words of one Israeli news outlet, 'mostly gathering dust' and never scoring any intercepts until it shot down a Hamas drone during the 2014 Gaza war. Israeli Patriots saw rare combat in the summer of 2014, just under a quarter century after entering service, when they shot down Hamas drones from Gaza and a Su-24 bomber over the Golan Heights. However, by then, Israel had the Iron Dome in service, and its David's Sling was just three years away from becoming operational. The older Patriots' days in Israeli service were numbered. But its combat-proven efficiencies against drones and Russian-built aircraft in 2014 show, in retrospect, how suited it is for Ukraine at the moment. Since Kyiv launched its daring Spider's Web operation against Russia's strategic bombers on June 1, it has faced no fewer than 1,451 drones from Russia against its cities. Kyiv needs all the help it can get. And even some extra PAC-2s for its existing systems from Israel would go a long way in keeping its critical air defenses online. Given Ukraine's present need and Israel's historical dislike of them, one could hardly find a more clear-cut example of the saying one man's trash is another man's treasure.
Al Arabiya
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Russia says it destroyed two Ukrainian army Patriot missile launchers
Russia used an Iskander missile to destroy two Patriot missile launchers, a command post and a radar in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian state news agencies reported on Thursday, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. Developing
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
US Air Force's massive 53-aircraft runway exercise 'sends a message you can't ignore' to rivals like China
A 53-aircraft exercise put US military airpower on display in Japan earlier this week. Fighter jets, rescue helicopters, and spy planes taxiied the runway at Kadena Air Base. The massive aircraft display "sends a message you can't ignore," a senior enlisted leader said. Dozens of fighter jets, military helicopters, and Patriot missile defense systems lined the runway at a US Air Force base, which could be the largest "elephant walk" ever in Japan. The "elephant walk" exercise at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, was part of a broader capability demonstration, showcasing US military airpower as China's growing military presence fuels tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Here are the various military aircraft and assets featured in the exercise, which drills airmen on readying large numbers of aircraft to take off in rapid succession. What is an elephant walk? Dating back to World War II, the term "elephant walk" referred to the taxiing of military aircraft en masse before taking off in single-file formations like a herd of elephants walking trunk-to-tail. Elephant walks not only demonstrate operational airpower and readiness but also train military pilots in wartime operations that involve launching a large number of sorties in a short period of time. Third-largest elephant walk in Air Force history Elephant walks typically involve a large number of aircraft, and the Kadena Air Base event on Okinawa was no exception — 53 Air Force and Navy aircraft, as well as two Army Patriot air defense batteries, participated in the runway display. The elephant walk could be the largest to ever take place in Japan, nearly twice the size of last year's 33-aircraft display at the base, which featured F-22 Raptors and F-16 Fighting Falcons. The Kadena elephant walk is among the largest ever by the US Air Force, outnumbering an elephant walk in 2020 at Hill Air Force Base in Utah that only featured F-35A Lightning II aircraft. In April 2023, 80 aircraft were displayed in an elephant walk at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. At Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, a 70-aircraft demonstration consisted of only F-15E Strike Eagles, making it the largest single-type elephant walk. Rescue helicopters, drones, and fighter jets Fighter jets made up more than half of the elephant walk, with 24 F-35As, eight F-15Es, and two Navy EA-18 Growlers. Six HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters led the herd, along with two MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are used for surveillance and precision strikes. Cargo planes, tankers, and spy planes Two MC-130J Commando II special operations cargo planes and six KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft brought up the rear of the formation. Three spy planes also made an appearance in the elephant walk — one E-3G Sentry radar surveillance aircraft, one RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft, and one P-8 Poseidon operated by the Navy for maritime patrol and reconnaissance. The formation was flanked by two US Army MIM-104 Patriot missile interceptors, which have proven to be vital assets in the US' air defense strategy against Chinese missile threats. Exercise Beverly Herd The airpower demonstration on Okinawa was an iteration of Exercise Beverly Herd, an annual military exercise that prepares US and allied forces for combat in the Pacific. Aside from the elephant walk, rescue and maintenance squadrons stationed at Kadena also practiced surveilling damage on an airfield, and Air Force civil engineers worked with Navy specialists to remove simulated unexploded ordnance from the runway. At Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, about 11 miles from Kadena, F-35 fighter squadrons from Eielson Air Force Base are also training in warfighting concepts and maneuvers focused on Agile Combat Employment, which is designed to increase lethality and survivability in combat. 'A message you can't ignore' The military exercises come as China escalates its military presence in the Pacific over Taiwan, the self-governing island which Beijing claims as its own. "An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore," Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang, 18th Wing command chief master sergeant, said in a statement. "It shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready." China's rapid military build-up has been fueling tension with other US allies on the First Island Chain, which includes Japan and the Philippines. The latter nation also has ongoing territorial disputes with China, primarily in the South China Sea. Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific The Beverly Herd exercises were among a series of military drills the US and its allies are hosting in the Indo-Pacific theater to counter growing Chinese aggression in the region. Earlier this month, the US and the Philippines held a joint exercise, Balikatan, at a strategic chokepoint south of Taiwan. China criticized the military drills, accusing the US and the Philippines of using Taiwan as an excuse to "provoke tension and confrontation." "This kind of teamwork and presence is exactly how we maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific," Wolfgang said of the Kadena elephant walk. Read the original article on Business Insider
CBC
01-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
In Ukraine, a mix of anger and pride as Zelenskyy called disrespectful and ordered out of White House
Social Sharing As Ukrainian troops try to stave off Russia's military from advancing through the eastern part of the country, they face tens of thousands of enemy soldiers. But when Ukraine's president sat in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon, he faced a different kind of battle — the blunt testiness of the U.S. Trump administration. The combative exchange left Ukraine's allies and many of its citizens in shock and dismay. Yet for others, there was pride in how Volodymyr Zelenskyy stood his ground. "I was angry, obviously," said Andriy Tkachuk, a Ukrainian soldier serving in the country's north who spoke to CBC News by Zoom. "We understand Trump and his administration have a political strategy, but when we speak about money, we forget about people." WATCH | The heated meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy: 'Without us, you don't have any cards,' Trump says in heated exchange with Zelenskyy 20 hours ago Duration 10:34 Trump accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of being disrespectful, ungrateful and an agitator "gambling with World War Three," and he was told to leave the White House. From mineral deal to meltdown Zelenskyy's visit was expected to culminate in the signing of a much-vaunted business deal that would see Ukraine give the U.S. partial access to its minerals, as payback for the tens of billions of dollars in aid and weaponry given to Ukraine. U.S. officials were convinced Zelenskyy would sign the deal, but during the meeting in the Oval Office, he continued to press for the security guarantees that he said Ukraine needed in order for there to be a lasting peace. Many Ukrainians saw it as a bold move and applauded Zelenskyy for sticking up for the country while sitting next to Trump, who has expressed a desire to negotiate with Russia's President Vladimir Putin without Kyiv. Zelenskyy's critics, though, saw it as an unfortunate miscalculation that has further jeopardized Ukraine's already-frayed relationship with the U.S., its biggest military backer — endangering its ability to keep fighting the war, or negotiate an end to it on more favourable terms. "Some people don't like Zelenskyy, some people like Zelenskyy," said Tkachuk when asked by CBC News about how the soldiers in his unit were reacting to the meeting. "But it's not about Zelenskyy … it's about our country." Tkachuk allowed CBC News to publish his image and full name, instead of being just identified by his call sign, because he is currently changing roles in the military, and because he said he felt he needed to speak openly during this "very important moment" for Ukraine. U.S. military support The soldier said he was not worried about the possibility of U.S. abruptly cutting off the flow of aid and weapons. It was scarier, he said, three years ago when Russian tanks and soldiers poured over the border, and Ukraine was fighting without the sophisticated U.S. weapons, such as the Patriot Missile systems that the country now possesses. Given Ukraine's current strained relationship with the U.S., he said he believes Kyiv will have to rely even more on its other allies, including Europe and Canada. WATCH | What's next for the U.S. and Ukraine? Where does the Trump-Zelenskyy blowup leave Ukraine? 11 hours ago Duration 6:52 After Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy's heated White House meeting, The National's Erica Johnson asks a former ambassador and a Russia expert to break down what it means for Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe. But it's hard to make up for what the U.S. has contributed and can contribute militarily. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the U.S. says it has "appropriated" more than $180 billion US for its Ukraine response. That figure is substantially less than the $350 billion which the Trump administration says the U.S. has spent, without providing a breakdown. As the heated clash between Zelenskyy, Trump and Vice-President JD Vance played out in front of television cameras, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, was seen bowing her head, holding her face in her hands. Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian opposition MP based in Odesa, called the meeting a "disaster" in an interview Saturday morning with BBC News. " It's bad for the United States, but it's catastrophic for Ukraine," he said. "We are bleeding every day. We are in a very difficult situation. We can't lose our main military ally." He said emotions between the men had clearly boiled over, and that he wished Zelenskyy had stayed calm, "cold blooded" and composed in front of journalists. Russian reaction On the social media platform X, Goncharenko said the only one who would have been happy with the result of the meeting yesterday was Putin. While there hasn't been an official response from the Kremlin yet, Russian officials took to social media after the meeting. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, called Zelenskyy an "ungrateful pig" who "got a solid slap." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said it was a "miracle" that Trump and Vance restrained themselves from hitting Ukraine's president. By Saturday morning, Russian state media was leading with the acrimonious meeting, calling it a "public execution" and a "train wreck." WATCH | What Russia has to say: What Russia is saying about the Trump-Zelenskyy fight 11 hours ago Duration 2:02 CBC's Lauren Bird breaks down how Russian media and officials have spun the Oval Office fight between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into a major loss for Ukraine. On the streets of Kyiv, residents agreed the meeting was a blow to Ukraine, but not everyone shared the same opinion about how Zelenskyy handled himself. While a few thought he should have been more diplomatic in his comments to Trump, overwhelmingly, people thought Zelenskyy stood his ground. "Trump finally understood that Zelenskyy is a president that will not just give up,"said Mila, an HR manager who spoke to Reuters. On social media, and in an interview with Fox News after leaving the White House, Zelenskyy repeatedly thanked the U.S. for its support for Ukraine, and spoke of the need for a strong partnership. But he declined to apologize. "No, I respect the president and I respect American people... I think that we have to be very open and very honest, and I'm not sure that we did something bad." Hope for Europe, Canada Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of the foreign affairs committee of the Ukrainian parliament, told CBC News that he couldn't believe what transpired in the Oval Office but was proud of Zelenskyy. "I'm hopeful that somehow things will turn out better," said Merzhko in an interview late Friday. " I hope that this common sense will prevail and this wisdom will prevail, because in the entourage of Trump, there are people who understand what's going on." But it will be hard to make amends with Trump. The visit to Washington ended with Zelenskyy and his team being told to leave, lunch was cancelled and questions swirled about what would happen next. When Zelenskyy meets with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London this weekend, along with European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Merezhko knows the reception will be much warmer. "We understand that without support, military aid from the Uni,ted States, it will be very difficult," he said.
