The announcement was made by Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha during the EU Foreign Affairs Council on April 14.
As Defense Express notes, the term “strategic air defense” is used by major defense contractors like Raytheon to describe systems such as the SM-6 (range up to 370 km) or SM-3, which is designed for exo-atmospheric ballistic missile interception.
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In theory, this suggests that Ukraine could be working on a surface-to-air missile system even more capable than the Patriot, especially if it aims for a capability similar to the SM-6. While some classify the Patriot as a strategic system, this level of ambition places Ukraine’s project above systems like the French-Italian SAMP/T, particularly in terms of range.
Just days earlier, Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin, confirmed that domestic defense firms are actively working on a Ukrainian equivalent to the Patriot system.
While little is known about the current stage of the new project, the concept has been discussed for years. Since 2022, its development could have received top priority, meaning the system might quietly enter service — much like the previously undisclosed Ukrainian so-called “Long Neptune” missile.
Ukraine’s invitation to EU states is also a strategic move in terms of industrial cooperation. The defense sector, after all, is a business. That said, it’s unlikely that countries currently investing in rival programs would join the Ukrainian initiative.
For instance:
• France and Italy are heavily invested in finalizing the SAMP/T NG system, with missile production handled by MBDA — owned by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo.
• Germany has already ordered the Israeli-made Arrow 3 and is expanding joint German-Israeli defense programs, including attempts to revive an APKWS-like missile.
• Poland has committed over $15 billion for Patriot systems, reducing the likelihood of its interest in alternative programs.
However, there may be real potential among other European countries that possess both funding and in-house technological capabilities.
One such example is Sweden’s Saab, which produces advanced radar systems like the Giraffe 4A, but currently only fields theRBS-70 MANPADS. Despite Sweden having purchased four limited-scale Patriot batteries (just three launchers each, with only 200 missiles for $1.3 billion), Saab may see value in participating in a broader European strategic air defense project.
Another possibility is Norway’s Kongsberg, which currently cooperates with Ukraine on integrating Ukrainian missiles into the NASAMS system. For Kongsberg, joining the development of a long-range or strategic system would represent a significant upgrade from its current short- and medium-range capabilities — especially since Norway lacks any long-range or strategic air defense assets of its own, while sharing a border with russia.
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