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Ukrainian steel giant develops armor protection for Patriot air defense systems

Metinvest has enhanced its military support by developing and deploying protective shields for Patriot air defense crews, made from specialized armor steel.
byYuri Zoria
03/01/2025
2 minute read
ukrainian steel giant develops armor protection patriot air defense systems metinvest's armored control module mim-104 system patriot-armor metinvest has enhanced its military support developing deploying protective shields crews made specialized
Metinvest’s armored protection for the control module of the MIM-104 Patriot system. Photos: Metinvest
Ukrainian steel giant develops armor protection for Patriot air defense systems

Ukraine’s largest steelmaker, Metinvest Group, has successfully manufactured and installed armored protection for the control module of the MIM-104 Patriot air defense system, the company’s press service announced on 3 January 2025.

Ukraine’s Patriot systems are primary targets of Russian missile attacks, with Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles consistently failing to strike them despite repeated Russian claims of success. However, only two launcher losses while on the move have been confirmed to date.

According to Oleksandr Myronenko, Chief Operating Officer of Metinvest Group,

“We developed the project from scratch in a month a half, and, following the blueprints, manufactured a shield for the crews of the Patriot surface-to-air missile system using Metinvest’s Ukrainian armor steel.”

The protective shield, manufactured as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front defense initiative, consists of nearly 200 armored steel plates with thickness up to 8 mm. The company reports that while the total weight of the armor exceeds 2.6 tonnes, but it does not affect the system’s functionality or mobility.

The protection is manufactured using 30KhN2MA grade steel, which the company notes possesses enhanced properties of wear resistance, strength, toughness, and resistance to mechanical stress.

Metinvest earlier mastered the manufacture of steel screens for T-64 and T-72 tanks, American M1 Abrams tanks, and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, with plans to integrate protection systems for various Leopard 2 tank modifications. The company reports delivering more than 300 screens to the military to date.

As part of the Steel Front defense initiative, Metinvest has allocated UAH4.4 billion or $104 million to support Ukraine’s defenders.

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