So, because this article once again uses the vague term “system” and implies by its photograph that this is somehow one component being sent to Ukraine… I will beat the drum of trying to clear up the inevitable confusion before it happens.
Based on cost analysis it seems that their use of “system” corresponds with the US terminology of “battery.” (Versus the individual “component” or the very large “battalion.”)
So Romania has one battery in place already, and 3 more coming online. They are going to keep the one they have, and one of the new ones will go to Ukraine once they have it working.
Altogether, with 3 more batteries coming after that in the future, Romania will have a single battalion-sized Patriot deployment. That is typical for the scale of coverage that a country the size of Romania will require, at least in peacetime. They may want to eventually get another full battery from the USA, to bring their battalion-level strength up from 6 batteries to 7 batteries again as they had planned.
But in the meantime this is exactly what Ukraine needs. I said it before: one battery each from every major operator of Patriot defenses will get Ukraine a large part of the way to where it needs to be, without significantly compromising air defense in the process. The rest will have to come from the United States.
3 Comments
Thanks Romania!
Thank you Romania, you are my best friend
You are the peacekeeper, you are the legend!
So, because this article once again uses the vague term “system” and implies by its photograph that this is somehow one component being sent to Ukraine… I will beat the drum of trying to clear up the inevitable confusion before it happens.
Based on cost analysis it seems that their use of “system” corresponds with the US terminology of “battery.” (Versus the individual “component” or the very large “battalion.”)
So Romania has one battery in place already, and 3 more coming online. They are going to keep the one they have, and one of the new ones will go to Ukraine once they have it working.
Altogether, with 3 more batteries coming after that in the future, Romania will have a single battalion-sized Patriot deployment. That is typical for the scale of coverage that a country the size of Romania will require, at least in peacetime. They may want to eventually get another full battery from the USA, to bring their battalion-level strength up from 6 batteries to 7 batteries again as they had planned.
But in the meantime this is exactly what Ukraine needs. I said it before: one battery each from every major operator of Patriot defenses will get Ukraine a large part of the way to where it needs to be, without significantly compromising air defense in the process. The rest will have to come from the United States.
It’s nice to see that borne out by reality.