The US may face a shortage of MIM-104 Patriot missile defence systems due to tensions in the Middle East

Most of the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot systems are in the process of deployment in the Middle East. Rising tensions in the region underscore the limited capabilities of the missile and air defence system.

Here's What We Know

The US Army plans to deploy two battalions of MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to the Middle East. At first glance, the figure may seem small. But in fact it is not quite so. The U.S. Army has only 17 battalions, of which two are not available for deployment because they are used for training.

Each battalion includes a headquarters and up to five batteries. Each battery can include up to eight launchers, an AN/MPQ-65 active phased array radar and additional equipment. The latest MIM-104 Patriot configurations can use different types of interceptors to effectively counter all types of threats, including ballistic missiles.

At least four more battalions are in Japan, the Republic of Korea or Germany. Thus, two battalions represent 13.33% of those available for deployment and a minimum of 20% of those not yet deployed anywhere outside the US.

Note that in 2021, the U.S. Army withdrew MIM-104 Patriot systems from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq. In addition, the Americans removed THAAD from Saudi Arabia. This was done, presumably for deployment elsewhere. For example, in the Pacific region due to the growing threat from China.

Source: The War Zone