The Truth Revealed? US Media: US Defense Giants Worry That Ukrainian Production of "Patriot" Missiles Could Be Much Cheaper
US media reports that major US defense contractors such as Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are concerned that allowing Ukraine to produce "Patriot" missiles will lead to intense competition. Although the companies publicly cite concerns over intellectual property leaks, the core issue is their fear that Ukraine could engage in large-scale production at lower costs and faster speeds, thereby driving down prices. Trump had previously mentioned the possibility of authorization, but no final decision has been made due to tight inventories and technological sensitivities
According to a report by Ukrayinska Pravda on August 10, citing The Atlantic, US defense contractors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are concerned that if Ukraine is permitted to produce "Patriot" interceptor missiles, it could achieve mass production at a faster pace and lower cost than US firms, thereby driving down the prices of such missiles.
The report states that while both companies publicly express concerns primarily regarding "theft of intellectual property and technology transfer," a US Republican official told The Atlantic that what US defense giants truly fear is competition—specifically, that "Ukrainians will find ways to improve the 'Patriot' missile and then mass-produce it at a faster speed and significantly lower cost than existing US production lines."
As previously reported by Reuters, US President Trump stated on July 8 during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that the US would grant Ukraine permission to produce "Patriot" missiles. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy had long been seeking such authorization. According to Kyiv Independent, Zelenskyy met with Lockheed Martin executives during his visit to the US in July, where they discussed "specific plans to transition to joint production as soon as possible." Previously, he had also announced that Ukraine would co-produce "Patriot" missiles with Raytheon.
The Atlantic noted that when Zelenskyy met with Trump at the White House on July 28, he raised the issue of production authorization again and requested that the US immediately provide Ukraine with "hundreds" of interceptor missiles. Trump rejected the request, citing limited US stockpiles and the priority of US military operations in the Middle East. According to statistics from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the US has consumed approximately two-thirds of its "Patriot" missile inventory in military actions against Iran over the past six months.
The report points out that even if authorized, it would take Ukraine several years to establish mass production lines. However, in the long run, Ukraine could potentially produce "Patriot" missiles for the US and its allies. As previously reported by Kyiv Independent, Trump stated on July 31 that the US had not yet made a final decision on granting production licenses to Ukraine. He said, "We have not agreed to this. We are discussing it, but this technology is difficult to hand over."
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