Ukraine Gets Huge Boost in Battle To Stop Russia's Hypersonic Missiles

The U.S. will produce more of the Patriot air defense systems that have seen Ukraine intercept Russia's formidable hypersonic missiles, handing over five additional systems to Kyiv by the end of 2024.

Raytheon Technologies, the U.S. defense contractor leading the production of Patriot air defense systems, will also increase its yearly output to 12 Patriots, the company's chief executive, Greg Hayes, told The Wall Street Journal in comments published on Sunday.

"We have been very surprised at its effectiveness," Hayes told the publication, referring to the Patriot system. So far, the U.S. has provided one Patriot battery and munitions to Ukraine, and Kyiv operates two of the sophisticated air defense systems, the other having been provided by Germany and the Netherlands.

Patriot systems have proved crucial for Ukraine's air defense against incoming Russian missiles. The mobile surface-to-air Patriots form part of the country's shield against various air threats, working alongside other systems Ukraine uses to protect its skies.

Ukraine has altered the system's software to be able to intercept Moscow's hypersonic missiles, Hayes said, which travel at a higher speed than other missiles launched by the Kremlin's forces. Raytheon has manufactured more than 240 Patriot units, according to the manufacturer, and the decades-old system has been constantly upgraded over the years.

In early May, Ukraine's air force said Kyiv had successfully "brought down the 'unparalleled Dagger,'" referring to theia's arsenal. A Ukrainian air force spokesperson then said Ukraine had used a Patriot system to take down the hypersonic missile.

The Pentagon confirmed that Kyiv "did down a Russian missile by employing the Patriot missile defense system," later saying it was a Kinzhal missile. This was denied by Russia.

However, there are questions over whether the Kinzhal missile is a truly hypersonic weapon. Newsweek has previously been told that "all the indications are the Kinzhal is simply an air-launched ballistic missile," although it can still pose a significant threat to Ukraine.

Kyiv has lauded the performance of the Patriots, which Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov said arrived in the war-torn country in April.

"Our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure because Patriot air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine," Reznikov wrote in a post to social media.

"Patriot is one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, and it will give Ukraine a critical long-range capability to defend its airspace," a senior defense official said in December as the U.S. said it would send the system for the first time.

However, one Patriot system was likely damaged in a Russian strike, U.S. officials said in May. Ukraine denied this, but the U.S. quickly said the system had suffered "minor damage" and was now "fully back online and operational."

Responding to Newsweek's request for comment, the Pentagon referred to data published by the U.S. Defense Department on June 9, outlining that the U.S. has committed one Patriot air defense battery and munitions to Ukraine. The U.S. has also sent equipment to integrate Western air defense systems into Ukrainian infrastructure, as well as equipment to sustain Kyiv's existing air defense capabilities, according to the fact sheet published last week.

Newsweek has also reached out to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry for comment via email.

Update 06/13/23, 9.05 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a response from the Pentagon.