Raytheon doubles Patriot production in Europe due to the war in Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
American manufacturer Raytheon will increase production of Patriot systems in Europe, investing in German facilities. Demand for the missile remains high, with delivery backlogs stretching for decades.
American air defense systems manufacturer Raytheon plans to double its production of Patriot missiles in Europe in response to growing demand, particularly due to the war in Ukraine. This is reported by UNN with reference to Euractiv.
Details
Raytheon's Head of Land and Air Defense Systems, Tom Lalibertye, noted that the company is actively investing in increasing European production capacities.
We are also gradually increasing our capabilities in the United States, but the real step function is the German capability
Raytheon already operates Patriot systems maintenance facilities in Europe, and also produces some equipment together with the Norwegian company Kongsberg – in particular, NASAMS missiles.
We are working with our supply chains to increase production capacity
The company is already investing in German production together with its partner MDBA Deutschland. According to new contracts, NATO allies expect the production of up to 1,000 additional Patriot missiles. This will allow Raytheon to double global production of interceptor missiles by 2028 or 2030, Lalibertye noted.
Amid attempts by some EU countries to abandon American armaments, interest in Patriot systems remains high.
There may be talk in Europe about abandoning American defense suppliers, but Patriot systems have never been in greater demand, and delivery queues stretch for decades
In particular, Germany and Switzerland recently concluded large-scale contracts for the purchase of Patriot.
Raytheon is open to cooperation with European defense companies.
Joint ventures and other agreements with European firms are possible," the executive noted, adding that "inverse partnerships, where Raytheon becomes a subcontractor and European firms
Ukrainian Direction
The company sees potential in cooperation with Ukrainian manufacturers.
The main discussion point with the Ukrainian customer is how best to get the systems to them as quickly as possible
The executive also emphasized the importance of local integration.
We continue to discuss with representatives of their industry appropriate measures for participation in production and support of existing systems and, hopefully, new systems that they will receive
Additionally
Raytheon has resumed production of Stinger portable missiles, which was previously discontinued. The reason was high demand, particularly from Ukraine.
Most likely, production will continue even after Raytheon introduces the new short-range interceptor missile (NGSRI), which is intended to replace the Stinger
Reference
Raytheon is the world's second-largest arms manufacturer. The company specializes in air defense, guided missiles, and precision-guided munitions. In the context of the war in Ukraine, demand for its products has significantly increased.
