Ukraine advances domestic missile and bomb projects amid Patriot delays

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that establishing domestic production of American Patriot air defense systems under U.S. licensing could take between 12 months and several years due to bureaucratic delays. The announcement comes as intensified Russian ballistic missile strikes highlight Ukraine's severe shortage of interceptors.

To address these vulnerabilities and diminish reliance on foreign arms, two Ukrainian companies are developing native ballistic missiles capable of striking deep targets, though technical challenges currently hinder mass production. Additionally, Ukrainian forces are procuring the domestically produced "Equalizer" precision glide bomb kit. Developed by DG Industry with the Brave1 incubator, the system converts unguided aerial bombs into standoff precision munitions compatible with both Soviet-era jets and Western fighters.

Sources: NEXTA, NV, Point, The Insider, Українська правда