Bad news is coming from within the U.S. military. Because there is no money, the new generation, interceptor missile research and development program was cut in half. can only let the "patriots" who have been in frequent situations recently continue to take the lead. According to experts' analysis, this move by the US side may be influenced by China.
Friends who are familiar with military affairs must have heard of the US military's "Patriot" missiles. Since its introduction, the missile has participated in many wars and made a name for itself around the world. However, many people are curious that this missile has been used by the US military for more than 40 years, why the next generation of replacements has not been seen for a long time. Finally, in recent times, the US military itself answered this question.
On October 15, local time, according to the United States "Defense News" website, the United States Army missile and space program executive officer, Lozano, revealed in an interview at the annual meeting of the United States Army Association that due to the high cost, the US military has decided to give up and develop the next generation of interceptor missiles to replace the "Patriot". The report also said that Lozano had used the word "very expensive" on many occasions to describe R&D projects.
Considering that the US military has always been reckless, Lozano's explanation also has some truth. However, some personnel within the US military, including those within the US military, have questioned him. Some people say that the plan is cut in half because of the cost problem, and this reason is not reliable. Isn't it expensive for you to develop sixth-generation fighters and aircraft carriers, and the United States will continue as well.
Therefore, some people suspect that the missile program has been cancelled, and there are other hidden reasons. At the same time, they are also worried that if they do not continue to develop the next generation of missiles and ban the "Patriot", the military strength of the United States may be compared with that of other countries.
Their fears are not unfounded. Based on the previous news, the recent performance of the "Patriot" has been relatively poor. As we all know, the two types of missile systems currently used by the US military are "Patriot" and "THAAD". From a tactical point of view, the "Patriot" is mainly used for the interception of aerodynamic targets at medium and low altitudes. It stands to reason that its function can play a greater role in short-distance battles.
When it comes to short-distance contact warfare, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is a typical example. Therefore, the US side also regards the "patriot" as one of its sharp weapons to aid Ukraine. At the beginning, the "Patriot" could still be called a battlefield killer, which caused a lot of damage to the Russian army, however, as the war deepened, the Russian army's countermeasures gradually took effect.
According to foreign media reports, the Russian army recently released a video showing that a position of the Ukrainian army with a "Patriot" missile system was attacked. When Russia missiles hit, the Ukraine military reacted and hurriedly launched two missiles in an attempt to intercept them, but it was too late. The radar and command system of the "Patriot" in this position were completely destroyed.
For the "Patriot", the two major systems of radar and command are like its eyes and brain. With the loss of these two important parts, the power of the "Patriot" will naturally be greatly reduced, so there is a high probability that the position will be occupied by the Russian army. This is also the main means by which Russia is currently taking back large areas of occupied territories.
From this example, we can also find the biggest shortcoming of the "Patriot" at present, that is, the air defense and anti-missile capabilities. The Russian army is also firmly aimed at this point and attacks. According to statistics, Russia has already destroyed at least four Patriot systems. This is quite a heavy blow for Ukraine and NATO.
What's even heavier is that after the war between Russia and Ukraine, the whole world has seen the shortcomings of "patriots". As a missile system that has been in service for nearly 40 years, it may be difficult to adapt to the rapid changes in warfare. Therefore, the call for R&D alternatives is not uncommon in the United States military.
But now, before this plan has seen a shadow, it has been killed by the US military itself, and it is no wonder that so many people are dissatisfied. However, some experts believe that this move by the US military is likely to be influenced by China.
Previously, China's successful launch of the Dongfeng ICBM not only shocked the world, but also demonstrated to other countries the development trend and form of missiles in the current military environment. In modern air defense, the biggest threat is no longer conventional missiles, but more from unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles with smaller targets. In this case, weapons such as "Patriots" will be more and more restricted, and they will not be able to play as much as before.
Therefore, the U.S. military said that the cost was too high to stop research and development, and I think it was more of a cover-up statement. Their real purpose is probably to quietly learn from China and develop weapons that are more suitable for the current era.
As a result, we have an unprecedented advantage in technology and time. It is no exaggeration to say that this time, we have left United States far behind.