Europe reports critical shortage of Patriot missiles
Stocks of US Patriot interceptor missiles in Europe are at critically low levels, anonymous US defense officials in Europe and NATO told the Associated Press. As France 24 reports, the shortage is primarily linked to the transfer of US missile stockpiles from Europe to the Middle East during the US war with Iran.
According to a US official, the greatest concern is the number of Patriot interceptors capable of destroying high-speed ballistic missiles. He claims that US forces in Europe do not have sufficient stocks to repel a possible prolonged ballistic attack, while their ability to defend even against a single strike or a missile that has veered off course would be very limited.
Official denials
NATO's senior military spokesperson, US Army Colonel Martin O'Donnell, denied that the number of Patriot missiles in Europe is critically low. According to him, the Alliance has sufficient munitions for air defense and assistance to Ukraine.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell also called claims of a shortage of US munitions false. He stated that the United States maintains a significant ready arsenal to protect its military personnel and interests.
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Expenditure and production
According to an estimate by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the United States used 65% of its Patriot missiles during the conflict with Iran — approximately 1,500 of 2,330 interceptors. US forces and US allies in Persian Gulf countries used these missiles to counter Iranian drones and missiles. The United States had also previously supplied Ukraine with hundreds of Patriot interceptors.
Ed Arnold, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, noted that deliveries to Ukraine had been planned, while the rapid expenditure of munitions in the Middle East exposed limitations in production chains. According to two anonymous officials, US forces in Europe are also facing a critical shortage of ATACMS missiles.
This year, according to Center for Strategic and International Studies expert Mark Cancian, about 600 Patriot missiles are planned to be produced, while the target production volume by 2030 is to reach 2,000 missiles annually. NATO expects the opening of the first Patriot production site in Europe, in Germany, in September; deliveries may begin early next year.
European officials and NATO representatives believe that Russia, the aggressor state, may be capable of attacking Alliance countries by 2030. At the same time, Arnold suggested that Russia's war against Ukraine limits Moscow's ability to conduct a prolonged air campaign in another direction.
