Production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine will take years and won’t change the course of the war — Bloomberg

According to Bloomberg, establishing production of missiles for the American Patriot air defense systems in Ukraine — even with a license from Washington — will take years, meaning it cannot significantly affect the course of the current war.

“A Patriot missile takes years to build, so production in Ukraine won’t come online in the timeframe it needs,” said Bloomberg Economics expert Becca Wasser.

According to her, Ukraine’s experience in rapidly producing drones and other missiles is unlikely to be transferable to Patriot missiles. The reason is strict American control over the technology and the high technical complexity of the missiles themselves. The degree of that complexity depends on the type of munition.

A particularly complex case is the PAC-3 variant, costing around €4.4 million per unit, which is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. It is produced in only two countries — the United States and Japan. Setting up production of this missile from scratch at a new facility is extremely difficult and requires significant resources and time.

Beyond the technical challenges, Bloomberg points to the strain on existing supply chains. Launching a new production line will require specialized equipment, personnel training, and the creation of an independent supplier network.

An additional risk factor will be the vulnerability of any new defense plant in Ukraine: according to the outlet, such a facility would immediately become one of the priority targets for Russian strikes.

On the eve of the publication, US President Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, stated that Washington may grant Ukraine a license to produce interceptor missiles for the Patriot.