The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine explained why PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot system are one of the key elements in protecting Ukraine’s skies.

This was reported on the website of the Ministry of Defense.

Following the meeting in the Ramstein format, Ukraine received a new batch of PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot air defense missile system from Germany.

“They will strengthen air defense capabilities in the fight against the most complex aerial threats — ballistic and hypersonic missiles”, — the Ministry of Defense emphasized.

It is noted that the PAC-3 is the most effective missile against ballistic Iskander, hypersonic Kinzhal, and Zircon missiles. It is about 5 meters long and has a diameter of 25 cm. It destroys a target through a direct “hit-to-kill” collision — that is, a powerful kinetic impact.

“This guarantees not only damage but the complete destruction of the warhead, eliminating the risks of damage to critical infrastructure”, — the Ministry of Defense noted.

The PAC-3 missile also reaches speeds of up to 6,170 km/h, weighs only 218 kg, and is equipped with an active radar homing seeker. Thanks to this, it can perform sharp maneuvers, change trajectory, and effectively intercept fast-moving targets. The missile operates independently of a ground target-illumination station.

One Patriot launcher holds 16 PAC-3 missiles, meaning a single system can destroy up to 16 targets without reloading. When loaded with PAC-2 missiles, it can hit a maximum of four targets, because each of the four containers contains only one missile.

The PAC-3 CRI missile has a range of up to 45 km and an interception altitude of up to 12 km. The PAC-3 MSE has even greater performance. Thanks to this, the Patriot system can effectively shield any Ukrainian city from ballistic missiles.