Raytheon, Lockheed Martin worry Ukraine will build better, cheaper versions of Patriot missiles

U.S. defense firms Raytheon and Lockheed Martin express concern that if Ukraine receives permission to produce Patriot missiles, they may surpass the United States in terms of both cost and production speed. The hesitation is attributed to worries about intellectual property theft and transferring technology. A Republican official claims the primary concern is the possibility of Ukrainian competition, stating, "the Ukrainians will find a way to improve the Patriot and then produce them at scale faster and for much less money than what the existing production lines in the U.S. could do."

At a July 28 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the topic of licensing Patriot missile production. The Ukrainian delegation also asked for an immediate delivery of several hundred missiles from existing stockpiles. President Trump denied this request, citing limited American inventories and current priorities in the Middle East.

As reported by The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the U.S. has used up about 65 percent of its Patriot missile stockpile over the past six months in its conflict with Iran. Following his meeting with the Ukrainian president, Trump characterized the Patriot as "a very extraordinary weapon" in an interview with The Financial Times, cautioning that "we have to be a little bit careful of who we license to."

While a licensing agreement could allow Ukraine to eventually produce surplus Patriot missiles for the U.S. or its allies, the process would likely take years. Analysts note that Ukraine's growing defense industry has made the nation less reliant on foreign aid, with the country now manufacturing approximately 10 million drones per year, compared to the 100,000 units produced in the United States.