US Patriot stocks in Europe ‘beyond critical’ levels amid Iran war? NATO faces Russia threat
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US Patriot stocks in Europe ‘beyond critical’ levels amid Iran war? NATO faces Russia threat")
File photo: Patriot missile systems at military training area in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, north-eastern Germany, on June 11, 2024. Photograph: (AFP)
US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are reportedly at “beyond critical” levels as the Iran war drains interceptors, raising concerns over NATO’s ability to counter a potential Russian attack.
The US military is facing a severe shortage of Patriot missile interceptors in Europe, with officials warning that stocks have fallen to levels that could leave NATO vulnerable to a potential Russian ballistic missile attack.
According to The Associated Press, a US defence official in Europe and a NATO official said the shortage has been driven largely by President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. The most serious gap involves Patriot interceptors, which are among the few systems capable of stopping Russia’s high-speed ballistic missiles. The US official said American forces in Europe “definitely” lack enough Patriots to withstand a sustained ballistic missile assault and would have “very limited” capability against even a single strike.
The shortfall is a consequence of Washington shifting missile stocks from Europe to the Middle East, where US and Gulf forces have fired large numbers of interceptors against Iranian drones and missiles. Some of those attacks have resulted in American casualties.
The warning comes as NATO continues to assess the longer-term threat posed by Russia. While a Russian attack on the alliance is not considered imminent, European officials believe Moscow could be capable of challenging NATO countries by 2030.
NATO, however, disputes the severity of the assessment. Col. Martin O’Donnell, a senior NATO military spokesperson, said it was “simply not the case” that Patriot supplies had reached a critical level. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also rejected claims of shortages, saying the US has “everything required” for military operations.
Ukraine has added pressure to the dwindling stockpile, having received hundreds of Patriot missiles since Russia’s invasion. But experts say the Iran war accelerated the depletion unexpectedly, exposing limits in US production capacity.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Europe has few immediate substitutes. France and Italy’s SAMP/T NG offers another option, but its predecessor has a shorter range, and the upgraded system has yet to see combat.
Russia, meanwhile, faces its own constraints. Experts say Moscow’s continued attacks on Ukraine could limit its ability to sustain a major air campaign against NATO.
