Patriot, SAMP-T, IRIS-T: How the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Coalition supports Ukraine in defending its skies

In February 2024, 15 countries convened in Brussels to form the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Coalition and signed the relevant declaration. 

This decision has increased Ukraine’s battlefield effectiveness and reinforced the protection of civilians and critical infrastructure.

The Coalition aims to deliver joint, coordinated support to address Ukraine's current air and missile defense needs and to develop an integrated and NATO-interoperable air and missile defense system. 

Germany and France are the leading nations in the Coalition. Belgium, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and the United States have also joined the Coalition.

Primary focus areas of the Coalition:

• Developing an integrated air and missile defense system.
• Supply of systems and munitions.
• Personnel training.

Coalition member nations provide systems like PATRIOT, SAMP-T, NASAMS, IRIS-T, HAWK, CROTALE, and more, along with the corresponding guided missiles. 

In close coordination with Ukraine, the partners ensure the training of personnel for the operation of these systems, as well as their timely repair and maintenance. 

Furthermore, a range of programs and projects, including FrankenSAM, are also being implemented jointly. FrankenSAM enables the integration of Western RIM-7 missiles into Soviet-era BUK-M1 systems. 

As a co-leader of the Coalition, Germany also launched the ‘German Air Defense Support Initiative for Ukraine.’ This is a financial mechanism for raising funds, through which Germany procures air defense systems to be provided to Ukraine as international military aid. This initiative has already raised nearly EUR 1 billion. 

In total, eight Capability Coalitions have been established within the framework of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group: The Air Force Coalition, the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Coalition, the Maritime Capability Coalition, the Drone Coalition, the IT Coalition, the Artillery Coalition, the Armored Vehicles and Maneuverability Coalition, and the Demining Capability Coalition.