The Pentagon is considering training the Ukrainian military to operate the Patriot missile defense system at a military base in the United States, Politico reported, citing Defense Department officials.

Although a final decision has not yet been made, the news that the Defense Department is considering training in the United States comes a day after the Biden administration announced that it would provide one Patriot battery - a sophisticated air defense system designed to shoot down approaching missiles and aircraft - to Ukraine.

The Patriot is expected to take several months to train Ukrainians to operate.

The Pentagon is discussing whether to conduct all or part of this training in the United States or in a third country, for example at a U.S. base in Europe.

One official said it makes sense to conduct the training in the United States, most likely at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where most of the instructors and sophisticated simulators are located. Conducting the training in Europe would be feasible, he said, but would involve great logistical difficulties.

The system, which includes several auxiliary vehicles with control stations, radars and generators, likely won't appear on the battlefield for many more months. The military will not hand it over to Ukraine until the Ukrainians are fully trained in how to use it, a Defense Ministry official said.

According to the official, the military is likely to move the Patriot from a U.S. depot to Ukraine instead of pulling the battery from a deployed location, the Middle East or Europe.