Patriots for the Long Game: Ukraine’s Indigenization Plan Isn’t a War-Winner Yet
Trump floated granting Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missiles, but turning that idea into reality would require selecting a contractor, navigating ITAR and intellectual-property rights, building a vast supply chain of 400+ parts, training a skilled workforce, and hardening facilities—an effort that could take until 2029 for the first indigenously produced Patriots, if ever. Given Russia’s threats and current missile stocks, the plan offers a long-term strategic capability but little immediate impact, making tradeoffs with drones and infrastructure hardening a more urgent near-term consideration.
