Ukraine pursues domestic missile production amid air defense shortages

Ukraine is pursuing long-term missile autonomy while confronting immediate air defense shortages following intensified Russian ballistic strikes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that two domestic defense firms are working on ballistic missiles, though mass production remains hindered by technical obstacles. Additionally, establishing local manufacturing for Patriot air defense systems under American licensing could take between twelve months and several years due to regulatory and bureaucratic delays.

To mitigate air defense gaps and reliance on Western weapons, the Ukrainian military is adopting the locally developed "Equalizer" glide bomb kit. Created by DG Industry and Brave1, the system converts unguided munitions into precision-guided standoff weapons compatible with Ukrainian aircraft. Nevertheless, defense analysts emphasize that Ukraine faces an extended period of vulnerability to ballistic missile strikes as domestic production capabilities scale up.

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