The Drive: The United States does not have air defense against Russia for Ukraine
The United States does not have medium-range air defense (air defense), occupying an intermediate position between the MIM-104 Patriot and FIM-92 Stinger systems, not counting the National/Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), which could be supplied to Ukraine, writes The Drive.
According to the American publication, the delivery of the MIM-104 Patriot to Kiev is fraught with organizational and legal difficulties, in particular, it would require the presence of the United States military in Ukraine. In addition, training the Ukrainian military to work with this long-range air defense system would take a long time. According to The Drive, the FIM-92 Stinger portable anti-aircraft missile system would not be able to solve Kiev's main problem - protection from an allegedly possible massive air attack from Russia. Also, the United States, according to the publication, is limited in the supply capabilities of NASAMS.
Nevertheless, the publication suggested a way by which the United States could help Ukraine. "The US government could try to get additional Soviet-era systems of various types, with which the Ukrainian forces have more experience, from third countries, including any stocks of such weapons remaining in the former Warsaw Pact countries, which are now part of NATO," the publication says.
In December, the commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, Rear Admiral Alexei Neizhpapa, allowed the country to purchase Harpoon anti-ship missiles in the United States.
