U.S. "Patriot" Missile Stock Shortage Raises Concerns in Europe

Reference News Network reported on August 31 According to the Associated Press on August 27, a U.S. Department of Defense official stationed in Europe and a NATO official told Associated Press reporters that the advanced missile interception systems stored by the U.S. in Europe are facing an "extreme shortage," largely due to President Trump's military actions against Iran. This statement has raised concerns about the weak defensive capabilities of NATO countries in the event of a potential Russian attack.

The aforementioned U.S. Department of Defense official stated that the most concerning shortage involves the "Patriot" missile interceptors, which can shoot down Russia's high-speed ballistic missiles. NATO officials confirmed that the inventory levels of the "Patriot" systems for U.S. and NATO forces stationed in Europe are low. Both requested anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

The U.S. defense official said that if Russia were to launch a ballistic missile attack on a military command center or a power plant, NATO could find itself in a situation similar to Ukraine, having to "suffer heavy blows time and again."

The U.S. official stated that in Europe, the U.S. military "absolutely" does not have enough "Patriot" systems to stop all possible sustained ballistic missile attacks; the U.S. military's defensive capabilities are also "extremely limited" when facing a single ballistic missile strike or a misfired missile from Russia.

This reflects the chain reaction caused by Trump's decision to go to war with Iran. U.S. missiles originally deployed in Europe have been redirected to the Middle East, where the U.S. and its Gulf allies have launched a large number of interceptors, including the "Patriot" system, to defend against Iranian drone and missile attacks. Some of Iran's attacks have resulted in U.S. military casualties.

European and NATO officials stated that Russia may have the capability to strike NATO allies by 2030. It is expected that by then, the inventory of "Patriot" systems in Europe will be restored. Meanwhile, Russia's war in Ukraine may weaken its ability to launch missile attacks on Europe, as it is difficult for Moscow to conduct missile attacks on two fronts simultaneously.

The U.S. provision of "Patriot" systems to Ukraine is one of the factors leading to the depletion of its inventory, but the impact of the war with Iran has exceeded expectations.

NATO's senior military spokesman Colonel Martin O'Donnell stated that the claim of "extreme shortage" of "Patriot" missiles in Europe is "absolutely not true."

He said that NATO is capable of "withstanding attacks" and has sufficient air defense munitions for self-defense and to assist Ukraine.

Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell stated in a statement on the 27th that claims about U.S. ammunition shortages are "false."

Parnell said, "No matter when or where the president chooses to strike, we have everything we need." He added, "We have successfully executed operations at multiple combat commands, while our arsenal has always maintained sufficient stockpiles, ready to defend our people and interests."

However, Ukrainian officials are pleading for more "Patriot" systems to defend against Russian missile attacks, as the interceptors previously transferred to Ukraine have already depleted part of the U.S. inventory.

Ed Arnold, an expert at the UK military think tank Royal United Services Institute, stated that during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. provided a large number of "Patriot" missiles to Ukraine, but the U.S.-Iran war was the turning point for the reduction of its inventory.

He pointed out that the U.S. supply of "Patriot" systems to Ukraine was planned and reasonably weighed, while its inventory in the Middle East was unexpectedly and rapidly depleted, exposing supply chain bottlenecks.

The two officials also stated that U.S. forces stationed in Europe are also facing a severe shortage of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which are missiles used to strike deep behind enemy lines. However, the overall condition of ammunition stocks in Europe is not as dire as that of air defense systems, as some European countries' militaries possess their own offensive missiles.

Experts say that the lack of "Patriot" interceptors in Europe will leave it almost helpless in intercepting Russia's more advanced ballistic missiles, which can be used in conjunction with a large number of cheap drones to overwhelm defense systems. (Translated by Hu Luan)