Ukraine works with RTX, Lockheed to update Patriot air defences

The US Army is upgrading multiple sub-components of its Patriot missile defence system, including command-and-control systems. (94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command)

Raytheon, an RTX company, and Lockheed Martin are working with Ukraine to enable its Patriot air-defence system to intercept upgraded Russian missiles, Ukrainian Defense Attaché Major General Borys Kremenetskyi told Janes on 7 November.

Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) Patriot intercepts of Russian missiles have decreased due to upgrades that Russia has made to its missiles' trajectory, Maj Gen Kremenetskyi confirmed to Janes .

Ukrainian forces have “struggled to consistently use Patriot” against Russian ballistic missiles due to “recent Russian tactical improvements”, according to information from a US special inspector general report that covers April through the end of June 2025.

Russia's improvements included enhancements to missile trajectory and manoeuvrability, according to Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) responses to the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the US Embassy Kyiv, which are cited in the quarterly report to lawmakers. The Operation Atlantic Resolve Lead Inspector General Quarterly Report to Congress document was jointly published in August by DoD OIG, Inspector General for the State Department, and Agency for International Development.

For example, in July Russia attacked with 13 missiles and lost seven to UAF intercepts. In a June attack, Russia launched Iskander-M/KN-23 and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles with few intercepted, according to a report from the Institute for the Study of War.

To respond to Russian tactics, “all options are available”, said Maj Gen Kremenetskyi during a Military Reporters and Editors conference on 7 November. “We are working with the companies … we are working on some other options with our experts as well,” he said.