A congressional advisory physique has outlined points lawmakers might face over the provision of anti-aircraft programs to Kiev
The US Congress is dealing with points “in each its legislative and oversight roles” over the deliberate supply of Patriot anti-aircraft programs to Ukraine, the Congressional Analysis Service (CRS) has warned. The analysis institute is a US authorities company that gives knowledgeable assist to members of Congress on a nonpartisan foundation.
The US authorities pledged to ship one battery of the superior MIM-104 Patriot anti-aircraft system to Kiev earlier this month, following an unannounced go to to Washington by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
The timeframe for the supply stays unclear, because the operation of the system requires dozens of educated personnel. US media shops have urged that Ukrainian troops could also be invited to America for coaching, which has but to happen within the context of the continuing battle between Ukraine and Russia.
Coaching restore crews for the Patriot system alone takes some 53 weeks, the CRS famous, including that “there’s loads of studying to do earlier than Ukraine may have a functioning Patriot system on the bottom.”
The analysis physique additionally urged lawmakers to look at the precise supply of the battery to be provided to Kiev. It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not Washington itself or a few of its NATO allies will present the Patriot battery. The CRS warned that, finally, the “battery and related interceptors being despatched to Ukraine may very well be taken from present military models and stockpiles.”
“Whether it is withdrawn from different operational forces, similar to US Central Command or US Indo-Pacific Command, transferring the system to Ukraine might create alternative prices and potential dangers in these theaters,” it mentioned, including that supplying a battery from the US homeland “might impede coaching or modernization cycles.”
The analysis company additionally raised issues over the “huge price ticket” of the Patriot programs and their interceptor missiles, that are “estimated to price about $4 million per missile.” In response to accessible knowledge, “a newly produced Patriot battery prices about $1.1 billion, together with about $400 million for the system and about $690 million for the missiles,” the CRS mentioned.
Congress ought to due to this fact contemplate the query of whether or not sure “restrictions [would] be imposed on what forms of hostile programs will be engaged by” the programs operated by Ukrainian troops, the company urged.
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