US Approves Potential $105 Million Sale of Patriot Air Defense System Sustainment to Ukraine

The State Department on Nov. 18 approved the potential sale of the Patriot air defense system sustainment and related equipment to Ukraine, worth an estimated $105 million.

Articles in the proposed sale include the upgrade of Ukraine’s M901 launchers to the new M903 configuration, as well as other related services, spare parts, training, and support, according to a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The principal contractors will be RTX Corporation and Lockheed Martin.

The DSCA stated that it had delivered the notification of the approval to Congress. The agency also stated that the proposed sale “will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

It noted that there will be no adverse effect on U.S. defense capabilities as a result of the potential deal.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” the DSCA stated.

Patriot Systems

The Patriot, which stands for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, is a theater-wide surface-to-air missile defense system and is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the U.S. arsenal.

The system was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel, and later used during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. The mobile system usually includes powerful radar, a control station, a power generator, launch stations, and other support vehicles.

The system was designed before hypersonic weapons were sent to the battlefield. Raytheon has not said publicly whether it is effective against a missile flying at hypersonic speeds. In 2023, the United States stated that a Patriot system brought down a Russian Khinzal missile, but it was not clear if that missile was traveling at hypersonic speed at the time.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Nov. 10 post on X that he wanted to order 25 Patriot systems from the United States, although he admitted that they would be expensive and such a large batch could take years to manufacture.

“European colleagues can help us here—they can lend us their systems now and then take back ours once they arrive from the manufacturers. These systems are produced over several years, and we would not want to wait,” Zelenskyy said.

A newly produced single Patriot battery costs more than $1 billion, with $400 million for the system and $690 million for the missiles in a battery, according to a 2022 analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

In a Nov. 2 statement, the Ukrainian leader thanked Germany and its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, for delivering the weapons systems.

“Ukraine now has more Patriots,” Zelenskyy said. “More Patriots are now in Ukraine and being put into operation. Of course, more systems are needed to protect key infrastructure sites and our cities across the entire territory of our state.”

On July 17, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich said arrangements were being made to transfer additional Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine from Germany.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed on Aug. 1 that Ukraine would receive two Patriot air defense systems.

The announcement occurred weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump outlined a framework for Western allies to transfer some of their current weapons systems to Ukraine and then purchase replacements from the United States, ensuring that the United States is compensated for future military support for Ukraine.

Pistorius said in a statement that Germany would make the first arms transfer to Ukraine under this framework, shipping two Patriot systems to Ukraine and additional system components in the next two to three months.

“In return, an agreement has been reached with the U.S. Department of Defense that Germany will be the first nation to receive newly produced, latest-generation Patriot systems at an accelerated pace,” Pistorius said. “The financing will be provided by Germany.”

PURL Initiative

NATO is coordinating deliveries of weapons to Ukraine under its Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which sees allies send materiel, including munitions for Patriot systems, to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.

On Aug. 4, the Netherlands became the first country to announce a defense package of $579 million under the PURL initiative, followed the next day by Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, who pledged to collectively contribute $500 million.

Last week, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden joined fellow Nordic countries Finland and Iceland and Baltic nations Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in another round of funding, jointly contributing $500 million in military equipment and munitions for Kyiv, sourced from the United States.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed the announcement at the time.

“Our Nordic and Baltic Allies are stepping up to fund a further package of critical military equipment for Ukraine,” he said in a Nov. 13 statement. “This equipment is extremely important as Ukraine enters the winter months, and deliveries through PURL are flowing into Ukraine. NATO Allies will continue to deliver essential equipment and supplies.”

Ryan Morgan and Reuters contributed to this report.