NATO is seeking to acquire new air defense systems in response to the proliferation of drones and cruise missiles, a high-ranking official claimed Wednesday.
Citing the relative cheapness of the hardware Russian forces are currently deploying in Ukraine, Air Marshal Johnny Stringer, the deputy commander of NATO’s Allied Air Command reportedly told a corporate news outlet that the challenges facing the aggressive military alliance have increased over the past decade.
Calling to boost spending on new weapons which are “reflective of the threat we face,” Stringer insisted that “NATO will now — and are already — [be] looking at what that future posture and what a future raft of capabilities will need to be.”
Per the article, Stringer also expressed concern about Russian hypersonic missile capabilities. Russia has deployed its cutting-edge Kinzhal hypersonic missiles at least three times since its military operations in Ukraine began in February, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in an interview in August.
13 December 2022, 16:45 GMT
Reports circulated widely in Western media this week that the US government is planning on supplying the Kiev regime with Patriot surface-to-air missiles despite its previous rejection to do so. Officials have frequently noted that the move would likely provoke military escalation with Russia.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev cautioned in a Telegram post earlier this month that “if NATO supplies Kiev fanatics with Patriot complexes along with NATO personnel, they will immediately become a legitimate target of our Armed Forces.”
But the US seems to be unfazed by the warning, with mainstream media reports stating the Biden administration is in the “final stages” of delivering the missiles. However, the Pentagon earlier stated on Tuesday that there were no plans regarding the deployment of the defense system.
It’s unclear how effective the Patriot missiles — which carry a hefty price tag of approximately $3 million per system — will prove in combating the inexpensive Russian drones which have long plagued Ukrainian air defenses.
As internet mogul and free speech activist Kim Dotcom noted on social media giant Twitter, “The Russians can fire 100 drones for each US Patriot missile.” And yet, somehow, “the Pentagon strategists call this ‘unbalancing Russia.’”