Challenge for Patriot: New Russian missile algorithms make interception much harder — Aviation expert

Russia has refined the guidance algorithms of ballistic missiles, significantly complicating their interception by air-defence systems, including Patriot. New terminal-phase maneuvers make air defense work harder and require updated interception algorithms.

This was said on Espreso by aviation expert and analyst Kostiantyn Kryvolap.

“Our energy infrastructure will be under great threat this year — primarily from strikes by Russian "Shaheds". To finish the job, the enemy may also use strikes with "Iskander-M" and "Kinzhal" missiles,” Kryvolap noted.

According to the analyst, the Russians have modernised the guidance algorithms of their ballistic missiles. Previously, their flight trajectories were different: as a missile approached its target it would flip and plunge almost vertically. At that moment Patriot interceptors could shoot it down. Now the enemy has changed the approach: the missile begins to manoeuvre in the terminal phase of its ballistic trajectory, which makes interception and destruction by air-defence systems much more difficult.

“We expect the company Raytheon, the developer of the relevant systems, to be able to provide interception-algorithm updates, because the war is now being fought at the level of algorithms. This is not about radical technical changes but solely about optimising interception algorithms, and that is actually quite difficult. Therefore, the effectiveness of intercepting "Kinzhal" or "Iskander-M" missiles with Patriot systems has become considerably more complicated,” Kryvolap added.