The German Air Force has announced the successful completion of training for the fourth group of Ukrainian air defense personnel who have mastered the Patriot missile system.
The brief statement did not specify the number of individuals who underwent training, the total number of trained units, or the duration of the training sessions.
At the same time, Germany has bolstered Ukraine with three Patriot missile systems. The transfer of the last system was reported in April, and it has already strengthened our country's air defense in July. Considering that in 2021 the Bundeswehr had 12 Patriot systems, Berlin has provided a total of 25% of the existing air defense systems of this type.
Moreover, given the rarity of these systems within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the completion of training for another group logically seems to be linked to the transfer of Patriot systems to Ukraine. There are only a few potential candidates available. This includes the third Patriot system from the U.S., which received the status of "transferred" between September 26 and October 15. There is also a complex from Romania, as at the beginning of September, a request for its transfer was submitted to the country's parliament, but in Bucharest, they decided not to disclose when the Patriot will be sent to Ukraine.
Additionally, the fate of part of the complex from the Netherlands remains uncertain, as the country wanted to transfer one battery in a "joint effort" with another country, but no partners were found. Therefore, in September, it was announced that Ukraine would receive an AN/MPQ-53 radar and three launchers from the Dutch. This means that a command post, additional launchers, communication vehicles, and support equipment for forming a complete battery will need to be sourced elsewhere.
However, it is important not to overlook the official announcement from the manufacturer of these systems, the American company Raytheon, which in June 2023 stated that the company has orders for five Patriot missile batteries for Ukraine with a delivery timeframe until the end of 2024. At the same time, Germany is unlikely to be the only training location for Ukrainian crews of these systems, as training may also take place in the U.S.