Ukraine is working to secure the air defenses it urgently needs according to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, following recent attacks where defenses failed to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow is seeking to significantly boost missile production ahead of winter.
Ukraine Faces Critical Air Defense Shortages and Ballistic Missile Vulnerability
During an overnight attack, Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles, killing at least 17 people. Preliminary data from the Ukrainian air force showed that while defenses intercepted 98 of 115 drones, none of the ballistic missiles were shot down. Zelenskyy noted that in the first half of 2026, supplies of air defense missiles from allies had fallen to a third of their 2025 level, with the shortage largely driven by the war in the Middle East.
Patriot missile systems remain the only equipment in Ukrainian service capable of intercepting Russian Iskander-M, S-400, and Zircon missiles. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s president on defence technology development, estimated that Russia can launch 100 ballistic missiles every month against logistic hubs, industrial facilities, and food stores.
Diplomatic Push for Domestic Interceptor Production Licences
At a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington would grant Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors domestically according to reports from the summit.
Zelenskyy had earlier sent an urgent letter to Trump and the U.S. Congress warning of a critical shortage and requesting the production licence. Following the announcement, Zelenskyy called for the projects to move as swiftly as possible, emphasizing the need to eliminate bureaucracy and make necessary political decisions. Discussions between the U.S. and Ukraine also include an option to build certain components for final assembly elsewhere in Europe.
However, Trump indicated that manufacturers RTX and Lockheed Martin had not yet been informed of the plan, noting the initiative remains in its early stages. Experts and officials estimate that starting production in Ukraine would take years due to the complex requirements of establishing manufacturing infrastructure, securing supply chains, and executing technology transfers.
European Production Lines and Global Supply Pressures
Global demand driven by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East has strained manufacturing output. RTX produces the Patriot air defence system, radar, launchers, and PAC-2 GEM-T interceptors, while Lockheed Martin manufactures PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE interceptors. Lockheed Martin delivered more than 600 of its newest interceptor models in 2025 and is working toward an annual capacity of 2,000 by the end of 2030. In contrast, Gulf states collectively fired more than 1,100 interceptors in the first three months of the Iran war according to estimates cited in reports.
Europe is also developing its own production capacity. Europe’s first Patriot missile production facility, part of a multinational program involving Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain to produce PAC-2 GEM-T interceptors, is expected to open in Germany in September. Construction on that line began in 2024 following an agreement reached in 2022.
Additionally, Ukraine has expressed interest in international partnerships, pointing to Japan’s Mitsubishi as a strong example of a company successfully establishing anti-ballistic missile production after obtaining a U.S. licence.
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