---
title: "Pentagon Delays Production Licenses for Patriot Missiles for Ukraine"
description: "According to media reports, licensing documents for the production of Ukrainian Patriot missiles are stuck in the Pentagon despite papers being signed in October. The US Department of Defense has not provided comments."
date: 2026-11-13T19:47:38.066Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/pentagon-delays-patriot-production-licenses
tags: [patriot-missiles, pentagon, ukraine-defense, nato, us-defense-policy, air-defense]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Pentagon Delays Production Licenses for Patriot Missiles for Ukraine

![Military trucks carrying Patriot air defense missile systems under a cloudy sky](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/13/pentagon-zatormozil-litsenzii-na-patriot/pentagon-zatormozil-litsenzii-na-patriot-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Licensing documents for Patriot missiles for Ukraine are stuck in the Pentagon, according to two sources
- The delay occurred during the tenure of US Under Secretary of Defense Michael Duffy in charge of acquisition
- The US Department of Defense has not provided official comments on the situation
- An expert estimated PAC-3 stockpiles in Europe at about 200 units, with some already transferred to Ukraine

According to information obtained by journalist Raufoglu and published by RBC-Ukraine, licensing documents for the production of Ukrainian Patriot missiles on US territory have effectively stalled within the defense agency. Two sources familiar with the process confirmed that the bureaucratic procedure has hit a dead end, although, according to available data, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth signed the necessary paperwork back in October. Thus, a significant gap has formed between formal top-level approval and actual movement of the documents inside the US Department of Defense.

### Where Exactly the Process Is "Stuck"

According to the same source, the licensing process stopped during the period when Michael Duffy held the position of US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. It was at this stage, according to two informed interlocutors, that the documents stopped moving through the hierarchy. At the time of publication, the US Department of Defense refrained from official comments, neither confirming nor denying information about the delay.

### Context: Promises and Supply Reality

The issue of production and supply of Patriot missiles for Ukraine remains one of the key elements in bilateral and alliance cooperation. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is ready to assist Ukraine in obtaining PAC-2 and PAC-3 modifications of missiles for Patriot anti-aircraft systems. The Alliance confirmed this readiness, noting the intention to strengthen Ukrainian air defense with corresponding anti-aircraft ammunition. The production license in the US was considered one of the mechanisms for long-term provisioning of Kyiv with interceptors without dependence on one-off supplies from allied arsenals.

### How Many Interceptors Partners Actually Have

Aviation expert Konstantin Kryolap assessed the actual stockpiles of interceptors among European partners in his analysis. According to his data, there are about 200 PAC-3 missiles in Europe, but a significant portion of this arsenal has already been transferred to Ukraine. In addition, the expert pointed out that it is reliably known about the presence of about 200 PAC-2 modification missiles in Greece. At the same time, information about a comparable amount of ammunition in Spain, which previously appeared in a number of publications, does not correspond to reality, according to his assessment.

### What This Means for Kyiv

The delay in the licensing process at the Pentagon, if confirmed, creates additional risks for the launch timeline of serial production of Patriot missiles at US facilities for Ukrainian orders. In conditions where combat stockpiles of interceptors in Europe are limited and partially depleted, alternative production channels become critically important. The lack of an official comment from the US DoD at this moment makes it impossible to accurately assess how serious the delay is and what steps are being taken to resolve it.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Пентагон затормозил обещанные Трампом лицензии на производство ракет Patriot в Украине, - СМИ](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/pentagon-zagalmuvav-obitsyani-trampom-litsenziyi-1794598489.html) - Primary source: RBC-Ukraine citing a post by Alex Raufoglu on X. Two anonymous sources confirm the delay. The Pentagon did not comment. Stockpile assessment is the opinion of expert Kryolap.

## FAQ

### What exactly is stuck in the Pentagon?

According to two sources, licensing documents for the production of Ukrainian Patriot missiles on US territory stalled inside the Department of Defense. Formally, according to available data, the necessary papers were signed in October by the State Secretary and the Pentagon chief, but the process has not moved further.

### Did the Pentagon comment on the situation?

No, at the time of publication, the US Department of Defense refrained from official comments.

### How many Patriot interceptor missiles are there in Europe?

According to aviation expert Konstantin Kryolap, there are about 200 PAC-3 missiles in Europe (some already transferred to Ukraine) and about 200 PAC-2 missiles in Greece. Information about a similar quantity in Spain, he says, is not confirmed.