Ukraine could be building Patriot missiles under license by late 2027 or early 2028, if Kyiv gets the paperwork soon. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government is negotiating with Raytheon and hopes to set up a production line in roughly a year to a year and a half, United24 Media reported.
The catch is the gap between a line and a missile. A full production cycle for the interceptor takes at least a year, so analysts quoted by United24 Media expect the first Ukrainian-made rounds to reach troops only in late 2028 or 2029. That could shrink if Ukraine makes selected components itself and does final assembly with imported parts.
Which missile
The talks point to the PAC-2 GEM-T, the Patriot interceptor Raytheon makes. The newer PAC-3 family belongs to rival Lockheed Martin. Donald Trump had already said Ukraine would receive a manufacturing license and called the approved interceptor a “less modern version” without naming it. Defense Express analysts read that, together with the Raytheon talks, as a clear pointer to the GEM-T.
It is a trade-off. The GEM-T is built to stop aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, using a conventional warhead that explodes near the target. The PAC-3 MSE destroys targets by hitting them directly. Experts put the GEM-T at around 60% effectiveness against ballistic targets, against roughly 80% to 90% for the PAC-3 MSE.
What it gives up in accuracy it gains in production. The PAC-3 depends on active radar seekers made by Boeing. The GEM-T does not, so Ukraine would avoid a likely bottleneck. Defense Express added that, of all mass-produced Patriot missiles, the GEM-T is the simplest to make, and that Raytheon already has experience building it under license in Germany with a high degree of localization.
Why Kyiv wants it
The need is plain. Earlier reports described a severe shortage of interceptors, with some launchers sitting idle for lack of missiles. Zelenskyy pitched licensed production as a way to secure steadier supply.
Raytheon confirmed the talks in July. A senior executive told Breaking Defense at the Farnborough Airshow that discussions were at an early stage and that the company would follow the US government’s decision. Involvement could run anywhere from making individual components to final assembly and maintenance. “As we work through the sort of feasibility studies, we will also, in parallel, be working licensing with the United States government,” he said.
Ukraine has also talked with Lockheed Martin. Defense Express suggested a deeper partnership with Raytheon is possible too, pairing Ukraine’s own FP-7.x anti-ballistic missile from the Freya project with the Patriot system, though that would require a high degree of openness from the company.
Sources
- Ukraine negotiates domestic production of Patriot missiles | Dagens.com
- Raytheon Confirms Negotiations with Ukraine Over Patriot Missile Production License | Defense Express
