(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Recently, a photo that shows an American-made “MIM-104 Patriot” missile defense system being transported on a trailer in China went viral on social media.
The image has caused widespread surprise as this air defense system is a highly guarded asset of the United States, usually available only to nations closely allied with Washington.
And certainly not to China, which is not authorized to possess the Patriot system developed by U.S. defense contractor RTX (formerly known as Raytheon).
Currently, the Patriot missile system is being used by the Ukrainian military to counter Russian air strikes, thanks to contributions from the United States and its European allies.
One of the Patriot batteries is known to be deployed in Ukraine to defend the capital city, Kyiv, from Russian cruise and tactical missile attacks.
There is a high demand from U.S. allies for the Patriot systems, largely due to fears of air attacks similar to those experienced by Ukraine.
Russia claims it has successfully destroyed several Patriot launcher units, especially those defending Kyiv.
The emergence of the viral photo showing the Patriot system on a trailer in China has sparked intense speculation, with many suggesting that Beijing has managed to acquire this tightly guarded U.S. weapon system.
Much of this speculation suggests that the Patriot system in China, as depicted in the viral image, was obtained from Ukraine.
However, to date, there are no reports confirming that Russian forces have captured any Patriot systems, as previous reports only indicated that Moscow had succeeded in destroying them.
Previously, Russia claimed to have destroyed at least two Patriot launcher systems operated by the Ukrainian military.
Another theory regarding the “Patriot” image in China suggests that Beijing acquired the air defense system from Taiwan, which is also a user of the system.
Besides theories that the system was obtained from Ukraine or Taiwan, there is also speculation that the viral image actually shows a high-quality mock-up or “VISMOD” (Visual Modification), used by the Chinese military for training purposes.
Observers claim it is most likely a VISMOD or mock-up, after noting several major differences between the actual Patriot air defense system and the one in the viral image.
The Chinese military is known to use high-quality VISMODs in its training exercises.
Moreover, China is alleged to have built replicas of key Taiwanese government buildings and warships, including American aircraft carriers, for training purposes to improve the accuracy of its guided missile attacks. — DSA