Ukraine is negotiating with Raytheon regarding the production of missiles for the Patriot system
Ukraine is in negotiations with the American company Raytheon regarding a license to manufacture PAC-2 GEM-T anti-aircraft missiles for the Patriot systems. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it may take between one and one and a half years to ramp up production after the license is granted. According to Defense Express, the first Ukrainian-made missiles may not be available until at least the end of 2028.
Ukraine may begin producing missiles for the U.S. Patriot air defense systems. Kyiv is negotiating with the American defense company Raytheon regarding the transfer of a license and the launch of such production in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this. New details from the negotiations suggest that the discussion specifically concerns PAC-2 GEM-T missiles. These are manufactured by Raytheon, while the more advanced PAC-3 MSE missiles are produced by another American company—Lockheed Martin.
According to Zelenskyy, the American side is receptive to such cooperation. Raytheon itself had previously confirmed that it was in talks with Ukraine regarding the possible licensed production of missiles for the Patriot system. At the time, the company emphasized that the final format would depend, in particular, on decisions by the U.S. government. This does not necessarily mean that Ukraine will immediately gain full-cycle missile production capabilities. There are various options—ranging from the manufacture of individual components to the final assembly of complete missiles. This is precisely the approach that Raytheon had previously discussed.
How long will it take?
Zelenskyy noted that after receiving the license, Ukraine may need between one and one and a half years to ramp up production capacity. In other words, negotiations and licensing procedures must first be completed. Then, production facilities, equipment, and the manufacturing process itself must be prepared.
If the license is obtained in the near future, production lines could be ready by late 2027 or early 2028. However, this does not mean that Ukrainian missiles will begin arriving in the military at that very moment.
According to Defense Express’s assessment, additional time may elapse between the start of production and the delivery of the first completed missiles. Therefore, the first Ukrainian PAC-2 GEM-T missiles may become available around the end of 2028 or as late as 2029. This is merely an estimate, not a final deadline announced by the manufacturer or the Ukrainian government.
Why the PAC-2 GEM-T in particular?
The Patriot missile family currently includes, among others, the PAC-2 GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE. They differ in design and method of engaging targets. The PAC-2 GEM-T engages a target by detonating its warhead near it. The missile creates a field of debris designed to destroy or damage the target. The PAC-3 MSE operates on a different principle. It uses direct kinetic interception technology, in which the missile collides directly with the target. This is why the PAC-3 MSE is considered more specialized for countering ballistic missiles.
According to Defense Express, the PAC-2 GEM-T’s effectiveness against ballistic targets is lower than that of the PAC-3 MSE. The publication estimates it at approximately 60%, while for the PAC-3 MSE, it cites a figure in the range of 80–90%. At the same time, these are estimates, not official guaranteed figures for every combat deployment. The PAC-2 GEM-T has another important feature—its production does not face the same supply chain issues with complex components that limit the production of the PAC-3 MSE. In particular, a key component of the PAC-3 MSE is the active radar seeker, the production of which is one of the bottlenecks in the supply chain. That is why the PAC-2 GEM-T may be a more realistic option for the faster deployment of licensed production in Ukraine.
The missiles are already being manufactured in Europe
Licensed production of the PAC-2 GEM-T is already being rolled out in Germany. There, the missiles will be manufactured at COMLOG, a joint venture between MBDA and Raytheon. In April 2026, it was reported that Germany had ordered 600 such missiles for Ukraine as part of a $3.7 billion contract. This example is also important for the Ukrainian project, as it shows that the PAC-2 GEM-T is already being manufactured outside the U.S. with Raytheon’s involvement.
At the same time, Ukrainian production is still in the negotiation phase. After obtaining a license, it will still be necessary to prepare production facilities and determine exactly which part of the manufacturing process Ukraine will be able to carry out independently. For Ukraine, such a project is significant primarily due to the constant need for Patriot missiles. Domestic production could, in the long run, increase the availability of interceptors and reduce dependence on ready-made missiles supplied by partners.
However, several stages must still be completed before production actually begins. Currently, Ukraine and Raytheon are continuing negotiations regarding the license, and specific production volumes and final delivery dates for the Ukrainian missiles have not been announced. This was reported by Defense Express.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that after the war ends and his term as head of state concludes, he hopes to remain in Ukraine and be able to walk freely through its streets.
