Ukraine Seeks Partnership with Patriot Missile Manufacturer
Ukraine offers investment to the American Patriot air defense system manufacturer. Cooperation is also being proposed to other U.S. defense companies.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported on this.
Defense Minister Rustem Umierov recently held talks with Joseph DeAntona, Vice President for Land and Air Defense Systems at the American company Raytheon.
The parties discussed Ukraine’s critical need for additional Patriot air defense missile systems and missiles for them.
The Minister emphasized that protecting civilians, critical infrastructure, cities, and villages is a priority.
Umierov emphasized Ukraine’s readiness to invest in this direction, as it concerns citizens’ lives and the state’s resilience.
The delegations also discussed expanding cooperation between the U.S. and Ukraine in the defense industry sector.
“This is one of our strategic courses. Deepening cooperation with Raytheon is a strategic component of such collaboration,” the Minister of Defense stated.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian side noted that domestic defense companies are open to cooperation with American manufacturers to make the process of servicing and supporting the Armed Forces’ weapons faster and more efficient.
In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready to purchase 10 Patriot air defense systems from the United States at its own expense to protect the largest cities from Russian missile strikes.
He also proposed the deployment of licensed production of the systems and their missiles on Ukrainian territory, a possibility that was discussed with both the previous and current administrations of the White House.
It should be noted that the production of new Patriot systems takes a significant amount of time. For example, a contract from March 2024 for Germany, which includes four new batteries, provides for the first batch to be delivered only in 2027, with final deliveries expected by 2029. Therefore, it is unclear how long it would take to establish licensed production, if such a decision is ever made. Additionally, constant Russian strikes would pose a threat to such a facility.
