The United States is in talks with Germany and other European countries regarding the launch of joint production of American missiles in Europe. Reuters reported this, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Currently, the parties are discussing two large-scale projects. The first involves the production of Raytheon’s AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, which are used by F-16 fighter jets and NASAMS air defense systems. The second project involves establishing a maintenance center for PAC-3 missiles used in Lockheed Martin’s Patriot air defense systems. An official statement of intent is scheduled to be signed during the NATO Industrial Forum on the sidelines of the Alliance’s summit in Ankara.
Implementing these initiatives will allow for the partial relocation of production and maintenance to Europe. This will help relieve the burden on the US facilities of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, freeing up their capacity to fulfill other orders in the United States. This step is particularly timely, as both types of missiles are in high demand in Ukraine, which continues to repel massive russian air attacks.
The negotiations began amid Washington’s concerns about the depletion of its own stockpiles. Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as military operations in the Middle East, have significantly overburdened the US defense industry. To speed up weapons production and resolve supply chain issues, US President Donald Trump previously invoked the Defense Production Act. In addition, the US leader has repeatedly called on European allies to increase defense spending and expand joint weapons production, which has become one of the main drivers of the current negotiations.
As a reminder, Zelenskyy had previously stated that Ukraine is awaiting Trump’s decision regarding the joint production of Patriot systems.
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