Key facts
- Ukraine has received around eight Patriot air defense systems, with Germany supplying three and pledging two more.
- Germany has also provided Ukraine with six IRIS-T SLM and six IRIS-T SLS air defense systems.
- The IRIS-T SLM has a 40-kilometer engagement range, while the Patriot system offers significantly greater range and ballistic missile interception capabilities.
- A planned deployment of US Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany has reportedly been shelved.
- German firm Diehl Defence is exploring cooperation with Ukraine's Fire Point to potentially produce the Flamingo cruise missile in Germany.
Germany is facing a critical gap in its long-range weapons capabilities, as highlighted by the ongoing demand for air defense systems and the potential shelving of a planned Tomahawk cruise missile deployment.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine has repeatedly requested additional air defense systems. To date, Ukraine has been promised or supplied with approximately eight Patriot systems, three of which were provided by Germany from Bundeswehr stocks, with two more pledged. Germany has also supplied six IRIS-T SLM medium-range and six IRIS-T SLS short-range air defense systems, both manufactured by Diehl Defence.
Staff Sergeant Thomas of the Bundeswehr explained that the IRIS-T SLM features a 360-degree radar and vertically positioned launch canisters, allowing for air defense coverage in all directions. This contrasts with the Patriot system, whose radar and launchers are typically oriented towards the primary threat direction. While the IRIS-T SLM is relatively straightforward to operate, Thomas noted it serves a different purpose than the Patriot.
The global demand for Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles has surged due to the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Reports indicate a global shortage of Patriot interceptors, creating vulnerabilities in Ukraine's air defenses. Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles, is currently unable to provide reliable delivery timelines amid increased demand from the Pentagon and White House.
The IRIS-T SLM is not considered a replacement for the Patriot system, primarily because the Patriot offers greater range and the crucial ability to intercept ballistic missiles. The IRIS-T SLM can engage targets up to 40 kilometers away, whereas the Patriot, with interceptors like the PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE, is optimized for defending against ballistic threats at much greater distances. The longer range of the Patriot also reduces the risk of debris falling into populated areas.
Beyond air defense, Germany's armed forces lack 'deep-strike' capabilities, which involve precision strikes against targets hundreds or thousands of kilometers behind enemy lines. A previous agreement between former Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then-US President Joe Biden to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany from 2026 onwards as part of NATO's deterrence posture appears to have been shelved, with reports suggesting concerns that Russia might view the move as escalatory.
In light of these developments, German defense manufacturer Diehl Defence has announced an expansion of its cooperation with Ukrainian arms company Fire Point, which produces the Ukrainian-developed Flamingo cruise missile. The FP-5 Flamingo reportedly has a range of up to 3,000 kilometers and has allegedly been used in strikes against targets deep inside Russian territory, including a military facility in Izhevsk, approximately 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Diehl Defence and Fire Point are now exploring the possibility of producing the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile in Germany.