Raytheon, the American company that manufactures the Patriot air defense system and PAC-2 GEM-T missiles, has confirmed that it is in talks to establish licensed production of air defense missiles in Ukraine.
The negotiations are currently in the early stages, but the company has assured that it will comply with the U.S. government's decision. Breaking Defense reported this after speaking with an unnamed senior Raytheon executive at the Farnborough Airshow.
Read more: After Ruta Missiles and Hornet Drones, Destinus Unveils New Vorexon Air-Defense Missile
In particular, he noted that there are various levels of involvement in the missile production chain, ranging from the manufacture of individual components to final assembly and maintenance. Raytheon is currently working with the U.S. government to determine the most appropriate level of cooperation with Ukraine.
"So as we work through the sort of feasibility studies, we will also, in parallel, be working licensing with the United States government. And then, hopefully something of all that will yield the ability for Ukraine to get the right level of support that they desire for increased Patriot production," Raytheon stated.
From Defense Express we would like to note that this follows confirmation of talks between Ukraine and Lockheed Martin, which currently manufactures the PAC-3 MSE, a system that has demonstrated exceptional effectiveness in intercepting ballistic missiles in combat. At the same time, Lockheed Martin unveiled its new ACE missile at Farnborough, which is expected to be half the price and is being specifically designed for joint production with Europe.
Currently, among all mass-produced missiles for the Patriot system, Raytheon's GEM-T is the simplest to manufacture, as it does not face significant production bottlenecks, unlike the MSE. Raytheon also has positive experience with the licensed production of GEM-T missiles in Germany under an arrangement that allows for a relatively high degree of localization. However, it is worth noting that this missile is less effective against ballistic targets and does not employ kinetic interception technology.
It is also worth noting that Ukraine's cooperation with Raytheon may extend beyond simply localizing the production of its Patriot missiles. A potentially effective approach could be to integrate the Ukrainian FP-7.x anti-ballistic missile, developed as part of the Freya project, with the Patriot air defense system. However, this would require a high degree of openness and cooperation from Raytheon.
From the Defense Express side, we urges you to join a fundraising for what is already working: One United Fundraiser: Fundraising by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation for interceptor drones.
Read more: UK Doubles Sky Sabre Air Defense Arsenal for £350M — Additional CAMM Launchers, Command Posts Arriving Late 2026 With Fast Delivery Timelines
