Patriot manufacturers fear that Ukraine will produce missiles faster and more cheaply — media reports
10 August 14:35
Manufacturers Raytheon and Lockheed fear that Ukraine will be able to produce Patriot missiles faster and more cheaply once it receives a license. It is noted that these companies will officially allege the theft of intellectual property.
This was reported by The Atlantic, citing a Republican Party official, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
What is known
It is noted that if Ukraine were able to obtain a license to manufacture Patriot missiles, it could produce surplus Patriot missiles after the war ends for use by the U.S. or for resale to U.S. allies and partners. And given Ukraine’s military experience, it could even produce surplus missiles while the war is still ongoing.
In a post on X by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it was suggested that the main obstacle for the Trump administration was bureaucracy and “red tape.” However, one Republican official told the publication that the reason lies elsewhere—namely, that Ukraine would produce these missiles faster and more cheaply than the U.S.
“Their real concern is that the Ukrainians will find a way to improve the Patriot, and then produce them on a large scale faster and for much less money than existing production lines in the U.S. could,” the article states.
At the same time, it is noted that the manufacturers of the Patriot system, Raytheon and Lockheed, “will officially voice their concerns regarding intellectual property theft and technology transfer.”
The publication also noted that even if the U.S. grants Ukraine a license to manufacture missiles for the Patriot systems, their deployment could take years.
As previously reported by The Telegraph, U.S. President Donald Trump promised Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missiles, but a few weeks later backtracked on his promise due to fears that the technology would fall into the wrong hands.
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A Promise That Was Not Kept
In July, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump approached Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with an unexpected proposal.
“We’re going to give you a license to produce Patriots,” Donald Trump said at the time.
As soon as the Americans demonstrated the production technology to the Ukrainians, Trump stated that Ukrainian factories could begin producing their own missiles “fairly quickly.”
Why Trump Changed His Mind
Just a few weeks later, the U.S. president changed his position. At a cabinet meeting in Camp David, Maryland, he acknowledged that transferring such technology is difficult.
“It’s hard to give away such technology… The people to whom you give this technology may one day turn against you,” Trump said.
The change in position came amid a dispute within the administration over whether to transfer technology that, according to aides and experts, could fall into Russian hands.
The Radar on Which Everything Depends
At the heart of Kyiv’s desire to obtain the Patriot system lies a small radar manufactured by Boeing at a plant in Alabama. This component is so advanced that the White House restricts its export even to its closest allies.
The device is called the PAC-3 Ka-band active radar seeker. It serves as the interceptor’s eyes and ears—detecting an approaching missile in the final moments of its flight and guiding the Patriot into a direct collision.
- The diameter of the missile’s nose cone is about 10 inches.
- The radar itself measures about 8 inches.
- During the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, according to Boeing, it did not miss a single missile.
Why This Is Critically Important for Ukraine
Russia is preparing for another winter campaign of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s stockpile of Patriot missiles has been depleted.
“Every missile defense package saves the lives of our people. And every night that we go without it leads to casualties,” Zelenskyy said.
According to available information, Ukraine’s chances of obtaining the 300 missiles needed to defend the country this winter appear slim.
What is known about the Patriot licenses
As a reminder, on August 7, Donald Trump stated that the United States itself needs Patriot missiles, attributing the ammunition shortage to decisions made by the previous administration.
The President of Ukraine criticized the bureaucratic red tape surrounding the licensing process, noting that he had requested the missiles as early as the first year of the war.
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