The Pentagon is considering training Ukrainian soldiers to operate the Patriot surface-to-air missile system at a military base in the United States, two Defense Department officials told Politico. The news comes a day after the Biden administration announced that it would provide one Patriot battery to Ukraine to help defend against Russian attacks.
It’s expected to take a few months to train the Ukrainians to operate the Patriot, which typically takes 90 troops, the Pentagon has said.
Previously, U.S. forces planned to train Ukrainian forces to use and maintain Patriot systems in a third country, most likely Germany, before its deployment to Ukraine. Until now, none of the NATO-provided weapons systems training has been done in the U.S.
