{"id":76578,"date":"2022-09-28T00:09:26","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T00:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/09\/28\/advanced-air-defense-weapons-head-to-ukraine-in-2-months\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:58:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:58:11","slug":"advanced-air-defense-weapons-head-to-ukraine-in-2-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2022\/09\/28\/advanced-air-defense-weapons-head-to-ukraine-in-2-months\/","title":{"rendered":"Advanced air defense weapons head to Ukraine in 2 months"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Pentagon will deliver the first two National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS<\/a>, to Ukraine<\/a> in the next two months, providing Kyiv with a weapon that it has pressed for since earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told Pentagon reporters on Tuesday that six more of the Norwegian-developed weapons will be delivered in the future, as much as a year or two from now. Recent reports that some of the U.S.-provided NASAMS were already in Ukraine were not correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pentagon
Pentagon spokesman U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Washington. (Alex Brandon\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The NASAMS will provide medium- to long-range defense against Russian missile attacks. Their impending delivery comes as Russia tries to rebound from recent combat losses and politically solidify gains by holding referendums in four occupied regions in the south and east.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kremlin-orchestrated referendums, which have been dismissed as illegitimate by the U.S. and its Western allies, are expected to be used as a pretext for Moscow to annex those regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryder said the U.S. has seen no major shifts in Russian forces aimed at bolstering or protecting the four areas, even as Moscow mobilizes more than a quarter million reservists to fight in Ukraine. He said the U.S. continues to see Russian troops trying to conduct offensive operations, but that Ukrainian forces are \u201csuccessfully holding on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t