Washington is concerned that sensitive technology used in Patriot interceptor missiles could be compromised if Ukraine is allowed to manufacture them independently under a US license, The Telegraph reported, citing a source.
The concerns are linked in part to cases in which weapons supplied to Kiev by its Western allies ended up on the European black market, according to the newspaper.
US President Donald Trump previously said that no final decision had been made on whether to grant Ukraine a license to produce interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems.
The Telegraph reported that Washington would require guarantees that classified technological information would remain secure before any such arrangement could move forward.
Separate concerns over a possible production license were previously reported by The Atlantic. Citing a source in the US Congress, the outlet said Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, which manufacture Patriot systems and their interceptor missiles, see the potential transfer of production rights to Kiev as a risk that could create a new competitor.