The Patriot air defense system and other key military systems the US transferred to Ukraine last year lacked a long-term sustainment plan, according to two Pentagon inspector general reports. Apart from the Patriot, the evaluations covered the deliveries of Bradley, Stryker, and Abrams armored platforms. The US has donated Bradley armored vehicles to Ukraine to help counter Russian forces.
A total of 186 Bradleys, 189 Strykers, and 31 Abrams were sent to Ukraine last year along with an unspecified number of Patriot batteries. According to one of the reports, the Pentagon didn’t provide advanced training to the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) personnel operating the Patriot to address life-cycle maintenance tasks.
Citing a Security Assistance Group – Ukraine representative, it mentions that the Remote Distribution and Maintenance Center – Ukraine, the Poland-based US maintenance unit supporting Ukraine, lacked Patriot’s depot-level (sustainment-level) repairs. It puts at risk Ukraine’s ability to fight effectively and the Pentagon’s readiness to address other national security threats, the reports added.
