The article discusses the limitations of a German-made air defense system, IRIS-T SLM, in protecting Ukraine from Russian ballistic missiles. The system is optimized to defend against low-flying subsonic and low radar cross-section targets like cruise missiles but is not capable of intercepting ballistic missiles that approach from high altitude and descend at high speed.
The article cites experts, including John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who notes that Russia has had a high success rate with ballistic missiles in its mass attacks on Ukraine. The U.S.-made Patriot air defense system is currently being used by Ukraine to protect against such threats.
The article also mentions that Ukraine has secured three new Patriot systems and is pushing hard to increase the number of systems it has, with President Volodymyr Zelensky announcing that he has received confirmation from Germany for two systems and from Norway for one. The development comes after a NATO- and EU-backed initiative announced by U.S. President Donald Trump to purchase U.S.-made weapons systems for Ukraine.
The article highlights the limitations of air defense systems in protecting against ballistic missiles and the need for Ukraine to acquire more advanced systems like the Patriot, which costs upwards of $1 billion per complete system with interceptor missiles.
