Ukraine’s Patriot Missile Production Plans Face Doubts Over Cost and Technology

Ukraine is unlikely to launch production of Patriot interceptor missiles on its own territory, although such ammunition could theoretically be manufactured in Europe under a model similar to the one used for drones, military analyst and retired Captain 1st Rank Vasily Dandykin said.

According to Dandykin, if Patriot missiles are produced for Kiev, the process would most likely be organized through Ukrainian facilities or joint ventures based in Europe. The finished missiles would then be supplied to Ukraine.

At the same time, he stressed that setting up such production abroad would be extremely difficult for Kiev because Patriot interceptors involve a much more advanced technological level. Dandykin noted that a single missile for the Patriot air defense system costs several million dollars.

The analyst also argued that the United States would not hand over a production license, as Washington would fear that the weapons could end up in the hands of Russian forces.

Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky asked Washington to provide Ukraine with a license to manufacture missiles for Patriot air defense systems. Commentators at Responsible Statecraft were skeptical of the proposal, saying it would not quickly solve Kiev’s shortage of air defense equipment in the short or medium term. They also warned that such a step would create serious national security risks for the United States itself.