Editing MIM-104 Patriot (section)

====Patriot operations in the Russo-Ukrainian War====
Patriot has had a successful track record in Ukraine during the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]], successfully intercepting a wide range of Russian weaponry and aircraft.<ref name=DefNews4924 /> It has shot down Russian aircraft like Su-34 fighters flying nearly 100 miles away, and intercepted missiles as far as 130 miles away, according to defense NGO reports.<ref name="DefNews4924" /> During October 2023, under a program called "[[FrankenSAM]]" Western and Soviet air defence technologies are being combined in Ukraine. One of three programs involves a Ukrainian radar guiding a Patriot missile. It has been tested and is expected to be operational by winter.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/28/us/politics/air-defense-ukraine-frankensam.html |title=Desperate for Air Defense, Ukraine Pushes U.S. for 'Franken' Weapons |date=2023-10-18 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

===== Aircraft interceptions - May 2023 =====
On May 13, 2023, a Patriot battery was allegedly used to destroy at least four (possibly five) aircraft belonging to a Russian strike package over Bryansk Oblast, Russia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Axe |first=David |title=A Ukrainian Patriot Missile Crew Shot Down Five Russian Aircraft In Two Minutes—And Possibly Forced The Kremlin To Rethink Its Tactics |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/07/03/a-ukrainian-patriot-missile-crew-shot-down-five-russian-aircraft-in-two-minutes-and-possibly-forced-the-kremlin-to-rethink-its-tactics/ |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> Visually confirmed losses included a [[Su-34]], [[Su-35]], and two [[Mil Mi-8]] helicopters.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1657502865286471680 |user=RALee85 |title=The Russian Air Force lost a Su-34 Bomber, Su-35S fighter, and two Mi-8 helicopters today (one was a Mi-8MTPR-1 with a Rychag-AV) over Klintsy, Bryansk Oblast. https://t.me/milhelipilot/1148 https://t.me/voenacher/44520 https://t.me/breakingmash/43996 https://t.me/breakingmash/44010 https://t.me/bazabazon/17634 |first=Rob |last=Lee}}</ref> On 19 May, U.S. defense officials and congressional staffers told [[CNN]] that a Patriot system had been used by the Ukrainian army to shoot down at least one Russian jet a few weeks before.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/18/politics/us-allies-f-16-jets-ukraine/index.html |title=US signals to allies it won't block their export of F-16 jets to Ukraine |first1=Natasha |last1=Bertrand |first2=Kylie |last2=Atwood |first3=Oren |last3=Liebermann |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=18 May 2023 |access-date=19 May 2023}}</ref> The spokesman of the Ukrainian Air Force later confirmed the shoot down of a Russian Su-34, Su-35, two Mi-8MTPR EW helicopters, and an Mi-8 transport helicopter by the Patriot system.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.defence-ua.com/news/bryansk_massacre_ukraines_air_force_tells_how_five_russian_aircraft_were_shot_down_in_five_minutes_by_the_american_patriot_sam_system-8701.html | title="Bryansk Massacre": Ukraine's Air Force Tells How Five russian Aircraft Were Shot Down in Five Minutes by the American Patriot SAM System &#124; Defense Express }}</ref>

===== Missile defense =====
[[File:Remains of Russian missiles and drones in Kyiv (2023-05-12) 10.jpg|thumb|Debris presented by Ukraine in May 2023, stated to be from a Kinzhal missile]]
During a night time attack on the Kyiv region on May 4, 2023, Ukraine air defense claimed a hypersonic [[Kh-47M2 Kinzhal]] ballistic missile was shot down by a Patriot missile defence system.<ref name=DefNews4924 /><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 May 2023 |title=Ukraine downs hypersonic Russian missile using Patriot defense system |publisher=Politico |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-hypersonic-russia-missile-patriot-defense/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://m.jpost.com/international/article-742614/amp |last=Stare |first=Michael |title=Pentagon confirms downing of Russian 'hypersonic' missile by Ukraine |date=10 May 2023 |work=The Jerusalem Post |access-date=May 12, 2023 |archive-date=May 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512042028/https://m.jpost.com/international/article-742614/amp |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=reuters-hypersonic>{{Cite news |date=6 May 2023 |title=Ukraine says it downed hypersonic Russian missile with Patriot system |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-it-downed-hypersonic-russian-missile-with-us-air-defence-system-2023-05-06/|access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref><ref name="WashingtonPost-Kinzhal">{{cite news |last1=Stern |first1=David |title=Ukraine says it shot down hypersonic Russian missile with Patriot system |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/06/hypersonic-missile-patriot-ukraine-russia/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=6 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506193847/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/06/hypersonic-missile-patriot-ukraine-russia/ |archive-date=May 6, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ukraine says its newly fielded U.S. Patriot system downed a Russian hypersonic missile |website=[[NPR]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605065205/https://www.npr.org/2023/05/06/1174505616/ukraine-patriot-defense-russian-hypersonic-missile-kinzhal |archive-date=2023-06-05 |url-status=live |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/05/06/1174505616/ukraine-patriot-defense-russian-hypersonic-missile-kinzhal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ukrainian PAC-3 Patriot missile downs Russian undetectable Kh-47 Kynzhal Hypersonic Missile |date=5 May 2023
|url=https://www.army-technology.com/projects/patriot/ |website=army-technology.com |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> [[Yurii Ihnat]], the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, initially denied the claim of interception,<ref>{{Cite web |title=No Kinzhal hypersonic missiles over Kyiv on 4 May – Ukrainian Air Force |url=https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/5/7400832/ |date=2023-05-05 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Ukrainska Pravda |language=en}}</ref> but on May 6 it was finally confirmed by Commander of the UAF [[Mykola Oleschuk]].<ref name=reuters-hypersonic/><ref name="WashingtonPost-Kinzhal"/> Prior to this interception, intercepting a Kinzhal missile was only a "theoretical" capability.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 May 2023 |title=US does not doubt veracity of Ukraine's statement about Kinzhal interception – CNN |publisher=Ukrainska Pravda |url=https://news.yahoo.com/us-does-not-doubt-veracity-202749998.html}}</ref> Unnamed US officials claimed the missile was aimed at the Patriot system which intercepted it, and that the Ukrainians fired multiple Patriot missiles at different angles to intercept the Kinzhal missile.<ref name="CNN-disputes-Kinzhal">{{cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/12/politics/russia-patriot-missiles-ukraine/index.html |title=Russia tried to destroy US-made Patriot system in Ukraine, officials say |first1=Natasha |last1=Bertrand |first2=Oren |last2=Liebermann |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=12 May 2023 |access-date=12 May 2023}}</ref> A Pentagon spokesman later confirmed that Ukraine downed the Kinzhal missile.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pentagon: Ukraine used U.S.-made Patriot to down Russian hypersonic missile|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/may/9/pentagon-ukraine-used-us-made-patriot-down-russian/|date=9 May 2023|access-date=10 May 2023|website=The Washington Times}}</ref>

On May 16, 2023, the Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down eighteen missiles, including six Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles, and uncertain number of attack drones.<ref name="UA+RU disputes Kinzhal" /><ref name="Kinzhal-claimed-hit" >{{cite news|url= https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/air-defence-systems-repelling-attacks-ukraine-early-tuesday-officials-2023-05-16/ |title= In first, Kyiv says it shoots down volley of Russian hypersonic missiles|publisher=Reuters | author= Gleb Garanich |author2=Sergiy Karazy |date=16 May 2023}}</ref> The Russian Defense Ministry stated in response that six Kinzhal missiles hadn't even been fired, and furthermore claimed that a Patriot battery in Kyiv was destroyed by a Kinzhal missile, citing social media footage.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/05/16/russia-destroys-key-us-supplied-air-defence-system-kyiv/ |title= Russia 'destroys' key US-supplied air defence system in largest bombardment of Kyiv|publisher=The Telegraph | author=Joe Barnes |date=16 May 2023}}</ref><ref name="Kinzhal-claimed-hit" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Ellie |title=Ukraine Shoots Down Six Hypersonic Missiles Fired by Russia—Kyiv |url=https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-shoots-down-six-russia-kinzal-hypersonic-missiles-1800561 |website=Newsweek |date=May 16, 2023 |publisher=NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC |access-date=16 May 2023}}</ref><ref name="UA+RU disputes Kinzhal">{{cite web |last1=Voitovych |first1=Olga |last2=Chernova |first2=Anna |title=Russia claims it hit a US-made Patriot air defense system, while Ukraine says it intercepted all missiles |url=https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-05-16-23/index.html#:~:text=Russia%20claims%20it%20hit%20a%20US%2Dmade%20Patriot%20air%20defense%20system%2C%20while%20Ukraine%20says%20it%20intercepted%20all%20missiles |website=CNN |date=May 16, 2023 |publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery Company |access-date=16 May 2023}}</ref> U.S. officials confirmed that the Patriot system was damaged, but stated that the damage was "minimal" or "insignificant", the radar was intact and that the system could likely be repaired locally without needing to be moved out of Ukraine. The battery was returned to operational status after minor repairs.<ref>{{cite web|title=US officials say damage to Patriot missile defense system was minimal following Russian attack near Kyiv|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/16/politics/patriot-missile-damage-ukraine|date=17 May 2023|access-date=17 May 2023|website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pentagon confirms damage to Patriot system in Ukraine, says it's already repaired|url=https://kyivindependent.com/pentagon-confirms-damage-to-patriot-system-in-ukraine-says-its-already-repaired/|date=18 May 2023|access-date=18 May 2023|website=Kyiv Independent}}</ref> It has not yet been established whether the Patriot had been damaged by the fragments of the downed Russian missile or by a direct hit.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://news.yahoo.com/patriot-air-defence-system-insignificant-144133087.html |title= Patriot air defense system has "insignificant" damage, US specialists inspect it – CNN |website=News Yahoo!|date=17 May 2023}}</ref> The following day, U.S. officials told the [[New York Times]] that "a Patriot system had been damaged in the attack but added that the Patriot remained operational against all threats,"<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/05/16/world/russia-ukraine-news |title= U.S. Officials Confirm Damage to Patriot Defense System in Kyiv Attack |website=[[The New York Times]]|date=18 May 2023}}</ref> while Deputy Pentagon Spokeswoman Sabrina Singh announced that the Patriot system had been fixed, with assistance from the US.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine live briefing: Damaged Patriot system in Kyiv has been fixed, U.S. says |date=2023-05-18 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518064901/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/18/russia-ukraine-war-news/ |archive-date=2023-05-18 |url-status=live |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/18/russia-ukraine-war-news/}}</ref> In contradiction to the U.S. announcement, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the system's multifunctional radar station and five launchers were destroyed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/05/18/five-launchers-of-the-us-patriot-anti-aircraft-missile-system-were-completely-destroyed-in-kyiv/|title=Kinzhal Missile Strike Destroyed Five Patriot Launchers in Kiev - Russia|website=moderndiplomacy.eu|date=18 May 2023}}</ref>

After two missile attacks on May 29, 2023, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced that all missiles were intercepted and according to Ukrainian Air Force spokesman, Yuriy Ihnat, these were assumed to likely be [[Iskander-M|Iskander-M ballistic missiles]].<ref>{{cite web |date=18 May 2023 |title=Ukraine's Zelensky: US Patriot anti-missile systems ensure 100% interception |url=https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-744559/amp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530015340/https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-744559/amp |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |access-date=29 May 2023 |publisher=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> Dashcam video captured the debris from an expended PAC-3 CRI missile falling in between passing vehicles.<ref name="pac-3-kyiv-motorists">{{cite web |last=Altman |first=Howard |date=May 31, 2023 |title=Ukraine Situation Report: Spent Patriot Missile Narrowly Misses Kyiv Motorists |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-spent-patriot-missile-narrowly-misses-kyiv-motorists |access-date=2023-06-12 |publisher=The War Zone |archive-date=June 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613014644/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-spent-patriot-missile-narrowly-misses-kyiv-motorists |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="pac-3-little-known">{{cite web |last=Trevithick |first=Joseph |date=Jun 2, 2023 |title=Patriot PAC-3 Hit-To-Kill Interceptors Also Pack A Little-Known Explosive Warhead |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/patriot-pac-3-hit-to-kill-interceptors-also-pack-a-little-known-explosive-warhead |access-date=2023-06-07 |publisher=The War Zone |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612112522/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/patriot-pac-3-hit-to-kill-interceptors-also-pack-a-little-known-explosive-warhead |url-status=dead }}</ref>