The U.S. is persistently continuing negotiations on localizing the production of missiles for the Patriot air defense systems in Ukraine. At the same time, several additional implementation options are under discussion, beyond the assembly of PAC-3 MSE missiles.
Reuters reported this, citing its own sources. One option is to develop a lower-cost missile, as mentioned earlier. However, another possibility is to integrate Ukrainian industry into the European supply chain.
Read more: What Do Actual U.S. PAC-3 MSE Stockpiles Reveal, Can Ukraine Count on More Missiles?
Under this approach, selected components for Patriot missiles would be manufactured in Ukraine and then shipped to Europe for final assembly. In particular, Germany has been mentioned as a participant in the already active U.S.-European program to manufacture Patriot interceptors.
From Defense Express we would like to note that while this option may seem less appealing at first glance, it can actually help with supply as well. For instance, component production itself can become a bottleneck when increasing interceptor output.
Even if missile assembly is mastered, it may not significantly increase overall production if the necessary components remain in short supply. Production could even come to a standstill while awaiting the delivery of critical parts.
In turn, the production of components will help expand and diversify global supply chains. It will also help Ukrainian industry adopt new technologies and acquire new skills that could be applied to other projects.
One advantage of this approach is that assembly would give Ukraine greater control over the final missile. Otherwise, in addition to U.S.-imposed conditions, Ukraine might also have to comply with conditions imposed by the country responsible for final assembly, giving that country an additional lever of influence.
It is also worth noting that if Ukrainian industry participates in the European production of Patriot interceptors to be assembled in Germany, this could specifically concern the PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor, for which Germany is currently building a production facility. However, the localization of PAC-2 GEM-T production in Ukraine has also been mentioned previously.
As for the production of components, this is also a rather slow process, as it requires the development of new technologies. For example, Poland began establishing the necessary production and administrative infrastructure in 2019 to manufacture the smallest solid-fuel rocket motors for the PAC-3 MSE interceptor. However, Lockheed Martin did not certify the production until September 2025, and the first production contract was not awarded until May 2026.
Based on publicly available information, the only conclusion that can be drawn with confidence is that the possibility of localizing Patriot missile production in Ukraine remains under consideration. However, negotiations are still ongoing, and it remains unclear what form any future cooperation might take. As a result, it appears realistic to expect that no concrete outcome will emerge before winter.
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