Protection against "Rubezh". Which partner will provide Ukraine with the THAAD missile defense system for $3 billion?
The strike on the "Yuzhmash" factory in Dnipro has raised several questions regarding the type of missile used by Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the attack with a newest ballistic missile "Oreshnik" equipped with a non-nuclear hypersonic payload in response to the launches of Western ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian territory.
Currently, Ukraine is awaiting the results from specialists who will confirm the type of missile that was used. Meanwhile, Kyiv is preparing to counter Russian ICBMs and intends to request relevant missile defense systems (MDS) from the West.
A representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated in an interview with Bloomberg that one option is to request the high-tech THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Other options being considered include upgraded Patriot systems and the Aegis naval system, which is installed on Arleigh Burke destroyers and Ticonderoga cruisers, sources from "Ukrinform" reported.
It should be noted that there is also a land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system option. The US commissioned such a technology in Poland in December 2023 to protect Europe from Russian and Iranian ballistic missiles.
Paying $3 billion: Who will fund new weapons for Ukraine
It is presumed that the THAAD system can intercept ICBMs, but there is no information about any tests of this kind or their results. It is known that the UAE military successfully intercepted a ballistic missile using THAAD during an attack by Houthi militants on an oil facility in January 2021.
The THAAD system intercepts targets above the stratosphere and is in service with Israel, South Korea, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The approximate cost of the technology reaches up to 3 billion dollars.
"Ukrainian military specialists will need to undergo training for at least several months to operate the new equipment. What if the Russians destroy or damage this system, as has happened several times with the Patriot air defense systems? After all, 3 billion dollars is not a small amount, three times more than the cost of installing a Patriot. I believe that it would be easier for the Americans to stop the war in Ukraine than to transfer THAAD to us," he stated.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine has managed to persuade Western allies to provide modern air defense systems. Literally, every round of negotiations has been challenging. The Patriot batteries, of which the US has over a thousand, with about 500 in reserve, had to be almost negotiated for, Stupak recalls.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously mentioned that to fully secure the skies over the country, 25 Patriot air defense systems are needed, with 6-8 batteries each. Currently, Ukraine has a maximum of 5 such systems.
"The cost of a single THAAD shot reaches up to 20 million dollars. Just imagine how much money will be needed for the operation and maintenance of such a technological system," the expert emphasized.
Ukrainian political scientist Yuriy Romanenko also believes that the request for such expensive weaponry is initially unfeasible. The reason is not just the high cost but also that data about weapon manufacturers has previously "leaked" from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The chief editor of the "Censor.net" portal, Yuriy Butusov, discovered in late October 2024 a presentation on UAV production created in 2023 by the Main Directorate of Drone Systems of the General Staff on a Russian website. The Russians gained access not only to information about drone models but also to classified details: phone numbers and names of executives, addresses, and names of manufacturers.
"It is illogical to request such weapons; no one will give them to us. THAAD intercepts targets above the stratosphere, which only a few of the wealthiest countries can afford," the expert notes.
It is worth mentioning that in one of the arms requests in December 2023 for billions of dollars, Kiev included expensive items. Among the desired weapons were C-17 Globemaster transport planes, Blackhawk multi-role helicopters, Apache attack helicopters, Abrams tanks, and the THAAD system. However, the Pentagon did not deliver any of the requested items.
Recall that on the morning of November 20, the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully struck 10 Storm Shadow cruise missiles at a command post of the Russian Armed Forces in Mariyno, Kursk region. From there, they could manage a 50,000-strong contingent of Russian and North Korean troops.