Patriot missile stockpiles in Europe “beyond critical,” officials warn

U.S. armed forces are experiencing an “extreme” shortage of Patriot missile interceptors in Europe — largely due to the war with Iran.

This is raising serious concerns about NATO’s vulnerability to a possible Russian strike, according to an exclusive report by the Associated Press published on Wednesday.

A U.S. military official based in Europe and a NATO representative — both of whom requested anonymity — told AP that the most acute problem involves Patriot interceptors specifically: the primary system capable of shooting down high-speed Russian ballistic missiles.

According to a U.S. Defense Department official, in the event of a Russian ballistic missile strike on a NATO military headquarters or power plant, the alliance could find itself in a position similar to Ukraine’s, suffering from a severe shortage of Patriot systems, and would be forced to “take hit after hit.” The same official added that U.S. forces in Europe “definitely” do not have enough Patriot systems to repel a sustained ballistic missile attack, and that their ability to defend against even a single strike or a stray Russian missile that veers off course would be “extremely limited.”

The conflict with Iran, which reaches the six-month mark on Friday, has consumed a significant portion of America’s interceptor stockpiles. Before the war began on February 28, the U.S. had more than 2,300 Patriot missiles; experts estimate that approximately 65 percent have been expended, leaving fewer than 850 units.

NATO and Pentagon officials rejected this characterization. U.S. Army Colonel Martin O’Donnell, NATO’s senior military spokesman, said claims of a Patriot missile shortage in Europe “simply do not reflect reality,” and that NATO has sufficient air defense munitions to protect itself and assist Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also called the assertions false, stating that the U.S. has “everything it needs to strike at the time and place of the president’s choosing” while maintaining reserves to protect American interests.

Approximately 600 Patriot missiles are expected to be produced in 2026, including for European customers, with production planned to reach 2,000 interceptors per year by 2030. Europe’s first Patriot missile production facility is set to open in Germany next month, with deliveries to Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain expected in early next year. Raytheon — the manufacturer of the Patriot system — is working to expand production capacity, but defense analysts warn that current output rates cannot keep pace with wartime consumption.