Ukraine needs four times more air defense systems it currently operates – Austrian colonel

To build up a massive passive air defense network, Ukraine needs four times the amount of air defense capabilities it has at the moment – at least another 25 long-range Patriot systems and nearly 100 medium-range systems.

This opinion was expressed in an interview with Ukrinform by Markus Reisner, Austrian Army Colonel, superintendent at the Officer Training Institute, Theresian Military Academy.

"The main tools for countering glide bombs is massive active and passive air defense. What do I mean by massive? It does not imply simply deploying individual batteries here and there. It’s about a massive use of various types of batteries – medium-range and long-range. All this in combination with early detection radars refers to passive air defense," Reisner said, commenting on the method of repelling Russian air raids involving glide bombs.

According to him, judging by the commitments undertaken at the latest NATO summit, "we can assume that about seven Patriot batteries, that is, long-range systems, as well as about 30 medium-range systems, will soon be deployed in Ukraine."

"From my perspective, Ukraine actually needs four times more. In other words, they need at least 25 Patriot systems and nearly 100 medium-range systems. This is only about the so-called passive air defense, and all this must be supported by appropriate early detection radars," said the Austrian military expert.

According to Reisner, the active component of air defense is the Ukrainian Air Force. He added that high hopes now rest on the expected delivery of F-16 fighter jets.

"If Ukraine fails to create this massive active and passive air defense, it will be very, very difficult, because Russia will be able to gradually intensify this type of war thanks to its resources and with the support of allies," the colonel said.

In addition to active and passive air defense, which Ukraine can apply, there is another approach to tackling Russian glide bombs, which is to "practically prevent the very takeoff of these combat aircraft."

"We are already talking about the corresponding long-range weapons systems that could hit these takeoff sites inside Russia. However, it is obvious that there are restrictions on the use of these weapons. Ukraine is trying to get around this by launching drones to attack oil refineries or airfields in Russia. But the real effect can come only once these limitations are overcome. Only then will come the results capable of changing the situation," Reisner added.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on June 30, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine needs to strengthen combat aviation and anti-aircraft defense in order to destroy Russian warplanes carrying bombs. In one week alone, the enemy dropped more than 800 guided aerial bombs.