Ukraine has still not received a licence to manufacture missiles for the American Patriot air defence systems, although President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced an agreement to this effect with Donald Trump as far back as 25 September 2026. According to the American publication The Correspondent, the practical implementation of the decision depends on the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegset, who has been presented with several options for cooperation. At the end of October, the US Department of Defence placed the application under further review without setting a deadline for its approval.
Why has Ukraine still not been granted a licence for the Patriot system?
The issue of production localisation American interceptor missiles has been under discussion between Kyiv and Washington since the summer of 2026.
In July Donald Trump stated his willingness to allow Ukraine to manufacture missiles independently for Patriot. However, he later clarified that no final agreement had been reached, as the transfer of advanced military technology requires additional guarantees.
The situation changed following the meeting between the US and Ukrainian presidents on 22 September in New York.
In three days’ time Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists that the US President had confirmed the final decision to grant Ukraine the necessary licences.
However, the political agreement did not mean that the procedures at the US Department of Defence had been completed.
According to a report by The Correspondent on 30 September, a US inter-agency group has drawn up several options for licensing agreements and submitted them for consideration Pitu Hegset. A Ukrainian official who spoke to the publication confirmed that, at that point, no practical decision had been taken.
What role does Pete Hagseth play in the delay?
According to a source speaking to The Correspondent, the US administration has already considered several models for organising production. However, the final decision rests with the leadership Pentagon.
One option involves Ukraine manufacturing missiles that are compatible with the Patriot systems, but not necessarily exact replicas of the American ones PAC-3.
Such an approach could reduce the amount of technology that would need to be transferred to Ukrainian enterprises.
At the same time, American manufacturers and government bodies must take into account issues relating to the protection of intellectual property, technology security and quality control.
At the end of October, the Kyiv Post reported that the Pentagon had referred Ukraine’s request for further consideration. This response is neither an official approval nor a definitive rejection.
There is no evidence that Hegset personally decided to block the implementation of the agreements with Trump. All that is known is that the matter remained at the approval stage within the US Department of Defence.
Why it is not possible to start production of Patriot missiles quickly
The problem is not merely a matter of obtaining official authorisation. PAC-3 MSE missiles are complex, high-tech products, the manufacture of which requires specialised equipment, trained engineers and certified suppliers.
The American company Lockheed Martin manufactures PAC-3 MSE missiles, whilst Boeing is involved in the production of their components.
In July, a representative of the US Department of Defence Michael Cadenazzi Breaking Defence explained that one of the most challenging tasks will be the establishment and certification of a production chain in Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio In September, he also warned that even obtaining a licence would not solve the problem of the shortage of missiles in the near future. According to him, it could take several years to ramp up production capacity.
The US has approved the sale of 500 Patriot missiles: will this help Ukraine?
On 30 October, the US State Department approved the potential sale of 500 PAC-3 MSE missiles to Ukraine, with a total value of approximately 2.1 billion dollars.
Funding is to be provided by Canada, Germany and Norway, as well as through other designated support mechanisms for Ukraine.
A corresponding notification was sent to the US Congress. The document was published in the official parliamentary register on 10 November 2026.
At the same time, approval of a potential sale does not mean that the missiles will be supplied immediately. Nor does it give Ukraine the right to manufacture these missiles itself.
President Zelenskyy has warned that deliveries of new missiles may not begin for several years. For this reason, Kyiv is asking its partners to supply interceptors from existing stocks, without waiting for production contracts to be completed.
As of 13 November 2026, there has been no public confirmation that Ukraine has been granted a licence to manufacture Patriot systems. Negotiations are ongoing, but the timeline for the Pentagon’s final decision and the possible start of production remains unknown.
