(Washington) Washington is putting pressure on Ukraine’s allies to urgently build a “patchwork” anti-aircraft defense using NATO standard and therefore compatible equipment, some ultramodern, others older, to protect the main Ukrainian strategic objectives of the Russian bombardments.
Posted at 10:48 p.m.
“What the (Ukrainian) leadership described as the thing they needed most immediately was anti-aircraft defense,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin recalled in Brussels on Thursday, the day after a meeting of 50 allied countries coordinating their military support in Kyiv.
However, to set up the “anti-aircraft shield” demanded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, it is necessary to create what the military call a multi-layered ground-to-air defense.
“These are short-range, low-altitude systems, then medium-range, medium-altitude systems, and finally long-range, high-altitude systems,” the US Chief of Staff, the Chief of Staff, told reporters on Wednesday. General Mark Milley.
These three levels will make it possible to protect Ukrainian strategic objectives, such as large cities, key infrastructures or centers of power, against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or even drones.
The United States has promised the NASAMS air defense system, the first two copies of which are due to arrive in Ukraine soon. They have ordered six more from the manufacturer Raytheon, but delivery of these short-to-medium-range, mid-altitude systems may not occur for two to three years.
Germany has delivered a first German defense system of the latest generation Iris-T to Kyiv, which will have to wait until next year for the other three promised. This medium-range, high-altitude system is intended to protect a small town.
To speed up the process, the United States on Wednesday urged its allies to provide their available anti-aircraft equipment, even older ones, provided they meet NATO standards.
Spanish “Hawks”
Spain was the first to respond positively on Thursday: it will send four medium-range “Hawk” surface-to-air systems to Ukraine, Mr. Austin announced, welcoming this “very, very rapid response”.
These Cold War-era systems have been modernized over the years. Spain has refurbished some of them to extend their lifespan.
President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that France would deliver to Kyiv “radar, systems and missiles to protect (the Ukrainians) from attacks, in particular to protect them from drone attacks”.
PHOTOGONZALO FUENTES, REUTERS
French President Emmanuel Macron
He did not specify the model of anti-aircraft systems planned, but an American military official mentioned the high altitude surface-to-air defense system SAMP/T, known as “Mamba”, the European competitor of the American Patriot, in service in France , Italy and Singapore.
Of Franco-Italian design, this system currently participates in NATO’s anti-aircraft defense.
“The Italians are, it seems, willing to see what we can give as SAMP-T, but it’s all very complex and must be seen with other partners,” it was said on Thursday. at the Elysee. “It is a work that is in progress taking into account the Ukrainian requests. »
Paris has also provided “Crotale” short-range surface-to-air missiles, the French executive recalled.
The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday the shipment of AMRAAM missiles, intended for NASAMS systems supplied by the United States.
“Technically complicated”
Washington is also interested in the Spanish Spada 2000 system, manufactured like the Mamba by the European manufacturer MBDA, indicated the American official who requested anonymity. A modernized version of a medium altitude and range system in service since the 1980s in Italy, it has been sold to Spain, Kuwait and Pakistan.
To provide defense against ballistic missiles, Washington plans to equip Ukraine with Patriot long-range batteries. The US military, which has a limited stock of them, is pressuring other countries that have purchased them to participate in the effort. Washington is also trying to convince Israel to deliver elements of its “Iron Dome” anti-aircraft system.
“A lot of countries have Patriots. Many countries have other systems,” General Milley noted in Brussels. “There are a whole series of Israeli systems that are very effective,” he added.
Once all these systems have been delivered, it will be necessary “to ensure that they can be linked together by the command and communication systems, and that they have radars that can communicate with each other, so that they can locate their target in approach flight”, explained the American chief of staff.
“It’s technically complicated,” he added. “It will take a little time. »