Patriot and NASAMS launchers are half-empty due to shortage of ammunition, - Air Force
Ukrainian air defence units have critically low missile stocks, and international support remains vital.
According to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform, this was stated in a televised interview by Colonel Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force.
"Today we find ourselves 'on a starvation ration' when it comes to missiles due to certain supply issues. Air Force representatives are constantly working both at Ramstein and in other negotiating groups, where we have to ask for as many as 5–10 missiles for the PAC-3, NASAMS, IRIS-T and other systems, as ammunition expenditure is very high," said Ihnat.
Massive strikes on the energy sector have depleted stocks
Ihnat stated that the significant expenditure of ammunition by Ukraine’s air defence is linked to large-scale Russian attacks during the winter.
According to him, over the winter Ukraine endured 15 major, massive attacks on its energy infrastructure, which significantly impacted the use of missile stocks for air defence systems. Consequently, existing resources require urgent replenishment.
Ihnat also emphasised that the situation is complicated by rising global demand for air defence systems and ammunition. In particular, the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East is putting additional pressure on the market, intensifying competition for defence resources.
"Today, the launchers belonging to certain units and batteries are half-empty – and that’s putting it mildly. They have a limited number of missiles, but they must be there," he emphasised.
Limited resources require strategic allocation
Ihnat reported that the Ukrainian command is forced to distribute available forces and missile resources across different regions of the country to ensure a basic level of defence.
He also stressed that the Ukrainian military has already accumulated unprecedented experience in the use of modern defence technologies in real combat conditions.
This includes, in particular, the use of:
- modern air defence systems;
- interceptor drones;
- F-16 Fighting Falcon.
According to Ihnat, the practical experience of using these systems in a large-scale war provides Ukraine with unique insights that could also be valuable to its partners. Ukrainian forces continue to adapt their air defence capabilities to the new challenges of modern warfare.
