Patriot interceptor supplies depleted worldwide

The U.S. Patriot air defense system, built by RTX Corporation — Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, has seen a sharp spike in demand this year as supplies of interceptor missiles are depleted by Ukraine's war against Russia and the widening Middle East conflict. Ukraine urgently seeks more interceptors to defend against Russian ballistic missile strikes, but the Iran war has drained arsenals in the U.S. and Gulf states, and some European countries are conserving their own stocks. CSIS estimates that about 65% of U.S. Patriot interceptors were expended between February and July, leaving fewer than 850 on hand, down from 2,330 before the Iran war. Saudi Arabia used about 86% of its 2,800 PAC-3 interceptors in the first 38 days of combat, leaving 400 missiles in April. In response, the U.S. has approved the sale of 5,250 interceptors to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates for replenishment. The U.S. is also pressing ahead with talks on allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles, despite President Donald Trump casting doubt on such a deal. Last month, the U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to produce Patriot interceptor missiles. Lockheed also introduced a new, lower-cost interceptor, the PAC-3 ACE, in July.