German Defense Minister collects approximately 35 PAC-3 missiles from European partners for Ukraine – media
A package of around 35 PAC-3 anti-aircraft missiles for the Patriot air defense system, which were primarily assembled by Germany among European partners, will be transferred to Ukraine in the coming weeks, Spiegel reported on Tuesday.
"At a meeting of Ukraine supporters before the Munich Security Conference, Pistorius [German Defense Minister] made a very unusual offer: he proposed to partner countries that Germany would provide Ukraine with five PAC-3 missiles from its Bundeswehr arsenal if other countries supplied Ukraine with a total of 30 additional missiles. By that time, several countries, including the Netherlands, had committed to supplying the missiles; this commitment has now been confirmed," the message reads.
The German Federal Ministry of Defense confirmed the planned delivery of a new package of missiles in response to a request from the publication. According to the ministry, it was able to convince European partners to supply additional PAC-3 missiles. The exact size of the package and the date of its arrival in Ukraine are not being disclosed for security reasons.
It is noted that the war in the Middle East has exacerbated the shortage of such missiles, each of which costs up to EUR 4 million.
"The package will likely be enough only for two weeks. The fact that Defense Minister Pistorius was able to secure a new package for Ukraine despite the global shortage is undoubtedly a success. However, no one at the Ministry of Defense is under any illusion that the frantic search for Patriot missiles will continue. While precise data on how many interceptor missiles Ukraine needs is unavailable, German officers have received a rough estimate from their colleagues: Ukraine consumes an average of 60 Patriot missiles per month. Therefore, Pistorius’ package will not last indefinitely," the publication says.
The German Ministry of Defense emphasized that it will not weaken its support for Ukraine and that its defense is Berlin’s top priority and will not be ignored, even given the war in the Middle East. In addition to missiles, Germany will provide Ukraine with "additional air defense equipment, such as MANPADS, AIM-9 and IRIS-T guided missiles, as well as spare parts kits for the Patriot and IRIS-T," a ministry spokesperson stated.
In addition, Germany will continue to support the development of a locally produced Ukrainian air defense system.
