US Allies Scramble for Patriot Missiles as Iran War Drains Stockpiles
U.S. troops from 5th Battalion of the 7th Air Defense Regiment are seen at a test range in Sochaczew, Poland, on Saturday, March 21, 2015, to demonstrate the U.S. Army’s capacity to deploy Patriot systems rapidly within NATO territory.
America’s allies are getting an uncomfortable message from Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon contractor that manufactures one of the West’s most important air-defense missiles: don’t expect any timeline delivery guarantees.Even as the defense giant expands production of PAC-3 interceptors for the Patriot system, planning to ramp up from 650 missiles a year to 2,000 by 2033 under a $4.7 billion Pentagon deal — that may not be enough.
Speaking at the ILA Berlin Air Show, Lockheed executive Brian Dunn admitted the company has no say over who actually gets the missiles once they leave the factory.
Germany, Japan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Patriot operators may all be waiting in line.The world’s supply of these high-end interceptors was already stretched thin before the latest Gulf conflictSince 2022, the US has funneled to Ukraine hundreds of Patriot interceptors — where Russia’s arsenal quickly exposed their weaknessesCurrently, the US has been burning through advanced weapons in the Iran war it started — including Patriot missilesWith the additional strain on already stretched stockpiles, the Pentagon has been forced to prioritize replenishing its own inventories before taking care of foreign customers.
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