Global Patriot missile stocks run low as Ukraine and Middle East conflicts surge

Developed in the 1980s and slated to serve through 2048, the Patriot surface-to-air system combines radar, launchers and a range of interceptors, from the older PAC-2 to the hit-to-kill PAC-3 and its newer ACE variant. Ukraine’s urgent need to repel Russian ballistic missiles and the Gulf’s high-intensity combat against Iranian rockets have dramatically drained supplies, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimating that interceptor stocks fell from 2,330 to under 850 in just months.

Saudi Arabia alone used about 86% of its 2,800 PAC-3 missiles in the first 38 days of fighting. While some European allies are retaining missiles for national defense, the U.S. has cleared a package of 5,250 interceptors for several Gulf states and awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion for further production. Talks continue on enabling Ukraine to assemble components in Europe, despite past doubts voiced by President Donald Trump.