{"id":47662,"date":"2023-01-10T19:11:27","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T19:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2023\/01\/10\/ukrainian-troops-heading-to-oklahoma-for-patriot-missile-training\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:44:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:44:26","slug":"ukrainian-troops-heading-to-oklahoma-for-patriot-missile-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2023\/01\/10\/ukrainian-troops-heading-to-oklahoma-for-patriot-missile-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukrainian troops heading to Oklahoma for Patriot missile training"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A hundred Ukrainian soldiers are set to begin training on the Patriot missile system<\/a> at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, \u201cas soon as next week,\u201d Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed Tuesday during a press briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Army selected Fort Sill<\/a> over training ranges in Europe <\/a>because the Patriot\u2019s school house, which is normally a two-year training pipeline, is located at the Oklahoma post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce fielded the Patriot will contribute to Ukraine\u2019s air defense capabilities<\/a> and provide another capability to Ukrainian people to defend themselves against Russia\u2019s ongoing aerial assaults,\u201d Ryder said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon announced in late 2022 that it intended to provide a single Patriot system to Ukrainian forces, as well as the required training to operate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 100 troops scheduled for training at Fort Sill are roughly the number that would be assigned to a U.S. Patriot battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first rotation of troops is the only one currently planned, but \u201cwe will keep the dialogue open in terms of any potential future training,\u201d Ryder said. \u201cBut right now the focus is on training these operators to operate the system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t