Exclusive: Lockheed Martin supports granting Ukraine Patriot missile licenses, official says
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The U.S. has begun the process of granting Ukraine licenses to produce Patriot missiles, moving the matter beyond political statements, a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent on July 15.
Lockheed Martin, the U.S. defense company that manufactures the missiles, backs granting Ukraine the licenses, the official said.
The official does not believe the process would last several months, as was earlier speculated.
The news comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 8 that he will grant Ukraine its longstanding request to produce American Patriot missiles.
Patriots have played a crucial role in defending Ukrainian skies against Russian ballistic missiles, but interceptor stocks have grown scarce as U.S. producers struggle to keep pace with both escalating Russian strikes and demand driven by the war in Iran.
Producing the interceptors domestically would let Ukraine channel its growing defense-industry resources directly into production, while reducing its reliance on U.S. manufacturers' output.
Apart from the U.S., Japan and Germany currently hold licenses to produce Patriot interceptors.
"Ukraine is for the first time approaching the possibility of producing missiles for Patriot systems," President Volodymyr Zelensky said during his speech in Kyiv on Ukraine's Statehood Day.
"I thank the U.S. president for the political decision, which is already historic and will help save the lives of thousands of people in Ukraine."
Separately from Patriot production, Kyiv is eyeing alternative air defense capabilities. Earlier this week, Ukraine and nine European countries launched the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition, agreeing to co-develop the Ukraine-grown Freya air defense project.
