The United States has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine. 1 billion dollars, which translates to about 19133 billion rupees. This is considered a major step in providing defensive weapons to Ukraine during President Donald Trump's second term, generating significant attention across global defense sectors.
However, despite the approval, Ukraine won't receive these missiles anytime soon. Weapon sales typically take several years for delivery following formal approval. According to two people familiar with the American decision, manufacturing of these missiles has not yet begun, meaning supply to Ukraine will only be feasible in the early years of the decade of 2030. Manufacturing capacity constraints and supply chain timelines are driving this delay.
The delay in missile supplies has heightened tensions between the US and Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that his country had been waiting for US approval for about a month, while russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and civilian areas, creating an urgent need for these defensive capabilities to protect vital locations and people.
Meanwhile, Trump engaged in a diesel deal with Russia and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating that Ukraine isn't willing to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries. According to a person familiar with the US decision, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense is urging the Pentagon to expedite missile deliveries, while to address this, the United States could potentially provide missiles from its existing stockpile and replenish inventories later by building new units.
According to the US State Department, Canada, Germany, and Norway will finance this deal. Also, funds from the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan will be utilized. This funding will be channeled through the US JUMPSTART program. According to the Pentagon website, allied nations provide funds through this program to supply weapons, military services, and training to Ukraine, while in August, 3350 air-launched cruise missiles were purchased using 825 million dollars from the same program, manufactured by Zone-5 Technologies and Co-Aspire companies.
The primary responsibility for manufacturing the Patriot missiles under this deal lies with the American company Lockheed Martin. The US has supplied large quantities of weapons to its allied nations and utilized them in military operations in Iran, raising concerns about potential shortages of air defense missiles and precision-guided munitions. 6 billion dollars to Lockheed Martin. According to the company, this will triple the production of PAC-3 MSE missiles by the end of 2030. Employee count at the Camden plant in Arkansas will be increased from 1200 to about 1850. The company has also outlined plans to manufacture 2000 Patriot PAC-3 missiles annually. Pentagon officials are pressuring defense manufacturers to accelerate production, and initial agreements to boost missile production were made earlier this year.