US Patriot missiles face growing problems as Russia changes tactics

7 comments

1. SS:

   Recent shifts in Russian missile tactics have significantly undermined the effectiveness of the US-supplied Patriot missile defense system in Ukraine, especially against the Iskander ballistic missiles. Russia has upgraded the Iskander-M missiles with advanced guidance software that enables unpredictable terminal-phase maneuvers such as sharp dives and evasive turns, as well as deploying radar decoys that confuse Patriot radars. These adaptations have caused Ukraine’s ballistic missile interception rate by Patriots to collapse from 37% in August 2025 to a mere 6% in September, leading to devastating Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and air defense assets. The failure is further compounded by combined Russian tactics involving drone swarms that disrupt Patriot radar systems, leaving launchers vulnerable. This evolving threat exposes critical weaknesses in Western missile defense systems against modern maneuvering missile technologies, raising urgent questions about the future of air defense in high-intensity conflicts.

2. this doesn’t help the ‘ukraine is winning’ narrative

3. Glad it took Russia another 20 years to catch up to our tech

4. Better we find this out now than when we’re actively at war

5. Demonising leftists ✅

   Right wing media personality as a President ✅

   Arms Race with Russia ✅

   War with socialist country beginning with V ⏳

6. I want peace but it is kind of fascinating that US tech is being wargamed like this. Valuable data for USA and China.

7. This is why the US is reluctant to give Ukraine newest toys, difficulty of integration aside, it would just give Russia a head start in adaptation and countermeasures.

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