Patriot manufacturer issues warning over missile supply shortages
Photo: Patriot manufacturer issues alarming statement regarding missile supplies (Getty Images)
Lockheed Martin, an American company, cannot guarantee US allies specific delivery dates for interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense systems, according to Brian Dunn, vice president of strategy and business development for Lockheed Martin’s Missiles division.
The company is actively working to increase production of PAC-3 missiles. At the same time, the shortage of these missiles has worsened significantly due to the war with Iran.
Meanwhile, during a conversation with journalists at the ILA Berlin Air Show, Dunn stated that the situation is causing concern among US allies, particularly Germany, Japan, Poland, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, which use Patriot systems.
He added that the new production capacity "is obviously going to be able to satisfy multiple user requirements in a faster timeline," but the final allocation of missiles is not up to the company.
"Obviously there’s a lot of rhetoric coming right now from the Department of War . . . about how they’re going to reorder, reorganise, who’s going to get missiles first. We don’t control any of that," Dunn notes.
Meanwhile, Paula Hartley, head of Lockheed Martin’s missile division, stated that during meetings with representatives of foreign governments, she increasingly encounters skepticism toward American defense contractors.
"They get frustrated that sometimes there are delays and unavailability of products, and sometimes there are frustrations with the government. I appreciate the frustration . . . We just continue to slog through to make sure that we can deliver on commitments," she says.
Missile shortage for Patriot systems in Ukraine
Earlier, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat announced a severe shortage of missiles for the Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems.
According to him, ammunition stocks in some units are nearly depleted, and Ukraine needs new supplies from its partners.
At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had a political agreement to acquire additional Patriot systems. However, the implementation of the agreement has been delayed due to financial, legal, and technical issues.
In addition, Zelenskyy recently sent an urgent letter to US President Donald Trump and Congress regarding a critical shortage of air defense systems amid intensifying Russian strikes.
In his appeal, the President of Ukraine emphasized that the lack of air defense capabilities poses a serious threat to the civilian population, as Ukraine does not have sufficient capacity to intercept ballistic missiles.
At the same time, Ukraine wants to manufacture Patriot systems together with its partners. Negotiations with the U.S. regarding obtaining a license to produce Patriot systems have become a separate area of focus.
