Concerns Over Patriot License: Ukraine's Potential for Cheaper Production

American defense companies Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are expressing concern over the potential transfer of the production license for Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. The concern stems from the risk of data leaks and commercial competition that the license transfer could pose. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are officially opposing the license transfer due to concerns over intellectual property protection and technology leakage risks. However, sources in Congress emphasize that the primary concern is commercial competition. A Republican representative in Congress summarized the companies' main concern as follows: "The fact is, they are afraid that the Ukrainians will find a way to develop the Patriots and then produce them on a much larger scale, faster, and much cheaper than the current US production lines." In Washington, a cautious approach prevails regarding the production license that Ukraine has requested to increase its air defense capabilities and reduce its dependence on external sources.