Europe to launch Patriot production to reduce dependence on US - Reuters
European missile manufacturer MBDA may produce Patriot anti-aircraft missiles at a new plant in Germany. The company is also ready to produce Patriot launchers.
Reuters writes about this, Censor.NET informs.
Patriot, developed by the American defense company Raytheon, is one of the most modern air defense systems, despite the fact that it has been in service since the 1980s.
"The war in Ukraine has highlighted Europe's dependence on long-range missiles of American production," the publication writes.
Germany, the Netherlands and Spain signed a contract for 5.1 billion in 2024 to purchase up to 1,000 missiles from a joint venture between Raytheon and MBDA.
The missiles will be manufactured at a new plant in Bavaria. The construction of the plant should double the world's capacity for the production of modernized PAC 2 missiles, which are designed to intercept ballistic targets.
Managing Director of the company's German division, Thomas Gottschild, said: "We are on schedule. We plan to start production at the end of 2026 and ensure the first deliveries at the beginning of 2027."
He did not disclose the plant’s production capacity, citing security concerns, but said it could handle additional orders.
Asked whether MBDA could build Patriot launchers in the future, Gottschild said MBDA had the technical expertise, having previously managed the launchers’ maintenance.
"We can do it. It’s just a matter of industrial cooperation between us and Raytheon – and the wishes of the customer, whether it’s the Bundeswehr or other customers," he said.
He said MBDA was also considering participating in the development of a "deep precision strike" missile with a range of more than 2,000 km. The initiative was announced by the UK and Germany in May. No start date has been set for the project.
"Regardless of the timing, it’s important to move to concrete steps as soon as possible," Gottschild stressed.
Combating UAVs
MBDA is also developing compact missiles to intercept low-flying drones, such as the Russian drones that recently violated Polish airspace.
"We hope to sign a contract to develop the DefendAir concept missile with the German government by the end of the year," the director added.
The DefendAir missile, with a range of more than five kilometers, is based on MBDA technologies used in the Enforcer system. It is intended to complement the 30 mm cannon in the Skyranger short-range air defense system developed by Rheinmetall.
