US approves $2.1 billion sale of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, but delivery may not wait until early 2030s

(Central News Agency, Washington, 30th, comprehensive foreign news reports) The U.S. State Department announced today that it has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine, with an estimated total value of US$2.1 billion. However, since the manufacturing of these missiles has not yet begun, sources revealed that delivery is not expected until the early 2030s.

Reuters reported that delays in missile deliveries have deepened tensions between Ukraine and the United States. Earlier, U.S. President Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being unwilling to stop attacking Russian refineries.

Ukraine has long said it urgently needs more interceptor missiles to shoot down the growing number of incoming missiles. The Patriot missile system is the most effective weapon against high-speed ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian officials said that Russian drones attacked a crowded train platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on the 29th, killing at least 14 people. On the same day, the Russian army also attacked two other cities during the day, killing five people. In the evening, it attacked the capital Kyiv with missiles, killing one person.

Zelensky said on the 26th that as Russia stepped up its attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure, Ukraine had been waiting for nearly a month for approval from the United States to provide key missiles.

However, although Ukraine urgently needs these interceptor missiles, it may still take a long time to actually obtain the weapons. Arms sales usually take several years to complete delivery, and two sources said the missiles, which have not yet begun manufacturing, are not expected to be delivered until the early 2030s.

One of the sources revealed that the Ukrainian Defense Ministry is urging the Pentagon to deliver the goods in advance. Possible methods include first transferring missiles from the existing US inventory to Ukraine, and then using newly manufactured Patriot interceptor missiles to replenish the US inventory.

The State Department said in a statement that Ukraine will use funds provided by Canada, Germany and Norway to purchase the missiles through the U.S. "JUMPSTART Program" (Joint Ukraine Multinational Program – Services, Training and Articles Rapid Timeline) mechanism, as well as funds from the EU's "Ukraine Support Loan".

According to the Pentagon's official website, this plan uses donations from allied countries to purchase weapons, services and training for Ukraine to help Ukraine maintain its own security after Russia's invasion.

In August this year, the JUMPSTART program was also used to purchase 3,350 air-launched cruise missiles with a total price of US$825 million.

Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the Patriot interceptor missile arms sale.

The U.S. Army signed a multi-year contract with Lockheed Martin in July to produce the Patriot III Extended Range Missile (PAC-3 MSE), with the contract value capped at $58.6 billion.