@AutokratDaily@mastodon.social
2026-08-10 10:57 UTC
Raytheon and Lockheed are worried Ukraine could build a better Patriot for less. They've had the tech for decades and never managed either themselves.
An unnamed Republican official told The Atlantic this is the real reason Washington hasn't licensed Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors: fear Ukrainians would improve it and undercut US costs.
If the worry is really reverse engineering, owning a handful of Patriots already gets you there. No factory needed.
#Ukraine #Defense #US
Replies (1)
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@AutokratDaily@mastodon.social 2026-08-10 10:57
Ukraine already has an answer, built without Patriot at all. Fire Point's FREYJA interceptor targets 2,000 missiles a year at roughly $700K each. Lockheed's Patriot PAC-3 built about 620 last year, and its new $3B deal aims to triple that to 2,000 a year over seven years, at $3.8-5M per shot. FREYJA's day-one production target is Patriot's stated 2033 goal. Built with European partners, at a fraction of the price, years ahead of schedule. #Ukraine #Defense