Understanding the billion-dollar missile system at the center of U.S. support for Ukraine 

In a recent press conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, President Trump announced that “defensive and offensive weapons” would be heading to Ukraine “in a matter of days.”  

One of the top priorities? More “Patriot” missile systems. 

These systems have become a symbol of America’s commitment to Ukraine. But what exactly are Patriot missiles, and why do they matter?

Patriot Missile Basics 

Patriot is a defensive missile system designed to protect cities, bases, and critical infrastructure from aerial attacks. It detects and shoots down incoming threats out of the sky, from cruise missiles to ballistic missiles to fighter jets. Each system includes: 

  • A radar that detects incoming targets 
  • A command center where operators decide what to shoot 
  • Several launchers that fire the missiles 
  • And the missiles themselves, which are called “interceptors.” They’re built to either explode near the target or crash directly into it 

It’s all mounted on trucks, so a Patriot battery can move around as needed, though not instantly. A full setup takes several hours to pack up and reposition. 

The radar can detect threats from nearly 100 miles away, and the interceptors have a range of a little over 40 miles.  

Today, about 240 Patriot systems are deployed across 19 countries, including Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. 

And Patriots don’t come cheap.  

A single battery – the radar, launchers, and command center – costs about $400 million to build. And then it’s loaded with $690 million worth of interceptors, which cost $4 million a pop. So just getting one of these systems up and running costs over a billion dollars.  

Patriot Missile History 

Patriot was developed in the 1980s and first used in combat during the Gulf War, when U.S. and Israeli forces used them to shoot down Iraq’s “Scud” missiles fired at Israel and Saudia Arabia.  

Since then, Patriot systems have been deployed in conflicts across the Middle East, especially to defend against missile and drone attacks from the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. 

But no country has relied on them as heavily – or as publicly – as Ukraine. 

Patriot Missiles in Ukraine 

Russia fires all kinds of missiles at Ukraine – cheap drones, cruise missiles, and even hypersonic missiles that fly more than five times the speed of sound. In recent months, Russia has increasingly targeted these strikes on civilian areas. 

Most air defense systems can’t handle the fastest missiles. Patriot can. 

In fact, Ukraine used a Patriot system to shoot down a hypersonic missile over Kyiv, something many experts didn’t think was even possible. Since then, Patriot systems have helped shield Ukraine’s cities, energy grid, and military from Russia’s most advanced strikes. 

But they don’t have nearly enough. Ukraine currently has only seven Patriot systems in operation, and it’s not clear how many more NATO will be sending under President Trump’s latest announcement. 

Ukraine is also burning through missiles fast. Since receiving its first Patriot system in April 2023, it has reportedly fired over 1,000 interceptors. That’s nearly the entire U.S. annual production rate, which is just 600 missiles per year.

The Bigger Picture 

Patriot missiles aren’t just high-tech gear – they’re a political signal. When the U.S. sends Patriots, it’s making a clear statement: we’re backing our allies with our best. 

Every Patriot launch in Ukraine means one fewer missile hitting an apartment building, a power plant, or a hospital. And one more day that Ukraine can stay in the fight.