Europe starts making Patriot missiles to cut reliance on the US
Photo: Patriot will be manufactured in Germany (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
European missile manufacturer MBDA may expand Patriot missile production at a new plant in Germany. The company is also ready to produce Patriot launchers, says Thomas Gottschild, managing director of the company's German unit, in an interview with Reuters.
Patriot, developed by the American defense company Raytheon, remains one of the most advanced air defense systems, despite having been in service since the 1980s.
Ukraine actively uses these missiles to defend against Russian attacks, and they are also purchased by Western countries that are building up their arsenals.
Contract and launch dates
In 2024, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain signed a $5.1 billion contract to purchase up to 1,000 missiles from a joint venture between Raytheon and MBDA.
The construction of a plant in Bavaria is expected to double global production capacity for the upgraded PAC 2 missiles, designed to intercept tactical ballistic targets.
“We are on schedule. We are planning to start production at the end of 2026, to ensure first delivery at the beginning of 2027,” Gottschild said.
He did not specify the plant's capacity, citing security concerns, but noted that the company would be able to handle additional orders.
Capability to produce launchers
Gottschild said MBDA has the technical expertise to produce Patriot launchers. Previously, the company was involved in its maintenance and repair.
“We can do it. It is just a question of industrial cooperation between us and Raytheon — and the wishes of our customer Bundeswehr, or other clients requesting the production of launchers,” he said.
New long-range missile
MBDA is also considering participating in a project to develop a “deep precision strike” missile with a range of over 2,000 km. This initiative was announced by the UK and Germany in May, but the start date for the project has not yet been determined.
“Irrespective of the timeline, it is important that we start as soon as possible to get more concrete,” Gottschild emphasized.
The war in Ukraine has highlighted Europe's dependence on American long-range weapons and prompted it to develop its own systems.
Fighting drones
At the same time, MBDA is developing more compact missiles to intercept low-flying drones, similar to the Russian drones that recently invaded Polish airspace.
The company expects to sign a contract with the German government to develop the DefendAir missile concept by the end of the year.
DefendAir, with a range of over five kilometers, is based on MBDA technologies used in the Enforcer system. It is intended to complement the 30 mm cannon in the Skyranger close-range air defense system developed by Rheinmetall.
Shares in European defense companies rose sharply after US President Donald Trump said that Ukraine was capable of regaining all territories occupied by Russia.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced the transfer of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine at the expense of NATO allies.
