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Contracts · Air defense

Switzerland shortlists Barak MX, SAMP/T NG to supplement Patriot, Defense News reports

Defense News reports Switzerland wants a second system to expand air defense coverage and reduce dependence on a single supplier while retaining plans to buy Patriot.

Switzerland has narrowed its choice for a second long-range air defense system to Israel’s Barak MX or the French-Italian SAMP/T NG while retaining plans to buy Patriot, Defense News reported.1

Switzerland narrowed the choice for its second future long-range air defense system

while sticking to plans to buy Patriot

second future long-range air defense systemBarak MX or the French-Italian SAMP/T NGplanned

while sticking to plans to buy Patriot

government proposal6 billion francsrequested

to finance the second long-range air-defense system and a portion of the additional costs for Patriot

Reported by Defense News

Sources
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Switzerland’s Federal Council, its government, wants the second system to expand the protected area and reduce dependence on a single supplier or supply chain. Switzerland announced the evaluation in May after Patriot deliveries slipped by several years, expressing a preference for a European-produced system. Delivery talks with the United States continue.1

The Federal Council said Wednesday it had asked Switzerland’s defense department to continue evaluating both candidates. Barak MX comes from Israel Aerospace Industries; SAMP/T NG comes from Eurosam, the MBDA and Thales joint venture. The council said it considered bids from four manufacturers in France, Israel and South Korea, weighing foreign-policy and economic-policy considerations alongside technical, military and weapon-related factors.1

Parliament is scheduled to review a government proposal for an additional 24 billion Swiss francs in defense and security spending during its winter session. That request includes 6 billion francs for the second long-range system and a portion of additional Patriot costs.1

Switzerland’s government says abandoning the Patriot purchase without a replacement system is not an option in the current situation, Defense News reported. The council will decide on the second system’s next steps and an additional Patriot appropriation after evaluations finish and parliament decides on armed forces funding. That funding decision is expected in early 2027.1

Sources (1)
  1. Defense News: Switzerland shortlists SAMP/T, Barak MX for long-range air defense www.defensenews.com
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Contracts · Air defense

Lockheed weighs Diehl as German partner for PAC-3 production, Defense News reports

A Lockheed executive said Ukraine might start with something like the cheaper ACE, possibly built in nearby countries. The report names no buyer, funding or timeline.

Lockheed Martin is considering new industry partners to build PAC-3 Patriot interceptors in Europe, which could also help supply Ukraine, Defense News reported Tuesday. In Germany, the company is weighing Diehl Defence, Jason Reynolds, general manager of Lockheed's integrated air and missile defense division, told the outlet at the Association of the U.S. Army convention. "If we were to go forward with exploring any kind of production in Germany, we would likely do that with a company like Diehl," he said. A Diehl spokesperson confirmed consultations are ongoing, according to Defense News.1

Lockheed Martin is weighing new industry partnerships to produce PAC-3 Patriot interceptors in Europe

which could also help fill Ukraine's shortfalls, a company executive said

Germanya company like Diehlcontingent

If we were to go forward with exploring any kind of production in Germany

Ukrainesomething like an ACE rather than an MSEcontingent

depending on industrial capability and parts availability

Lockheed is considering making them in nearby safe countries and quickly ferrying them into Ukraine as needed

The U.S. government has the final say about where sensitive defense products, including Patriot equipment, can be produced outside the United States.

Source: Reported by Defense News, Oct. 13, 2026

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

The pairing has a paper trail. Reynolds signed a memorandum of understanding with Diehl at the same convention a year earlier to explore expanding the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) supply chain.2 German leaders have offered to host PAC-3 production, and Raytheon and MBDA already make the PAC-2 line there, Defense News reported.1

Reynolds said Lockheed is "absolutely willing to talk to Ukraine," adding that "it might be something like an ACE, as opposed to an MSE, that we would start with." Lockheed announced development of the ACE over the summer, billing it as a cheaper option against relatively simple threats at half the cost of an MSE, Defense News reported. Because a plant inside Ukraine risks Russian attack, the company is considering production in nearby safe countries, the outlet reported.1

The U.S. government has the final say on where Patriot equipment is made abroad, Defense News reported. "We at Lockheed don’t have the authority to just build factories wherever we want," Reynolds said. U.S. officials are still expected to decide on the production license Ukrainian leaders said they were promised, which could mean Raytheon's PAC-2 or Lockheed's PAC-3, according to the outlet.1

Clarification, November 4, 2026: We updated our record of the date on the Defense News report this brief cites. The report is dated Oct. 13, 2026, and the brief is unchanged.

Sources (2)
  1. Defense News: Lockheed eyes fresh PAC-3 interceptor production options for Ukraine, Europe (Oct. 13, 2026) www.defensenews.com
  2. Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin and Diehl Defence to Expand PAC-3 MSE Global Supply Chain (Oct. 14, 2025) news.lockheedmartin.com

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Contracts · Air defense

State Department approves possible $2.1 billion Patriot missile sale to Ukraine

Lockheed Martin would be principal contractor for 500 PAC-3 MSE missiles, with Ukraine paying through allied donations and national funds financed by an EU loan.

The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Ukraine estimated at $2.1 billion. Lockheed Martin would be the principal contractor under the proposal, announced in a congressional notification dated Oct. 30, 2026.1

Ukraine requested 500 PAC-3 MSE missiles

State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Ukraine of PAC-3 MSE missiles

Estimated total cost$2.1 billioncontingent

The estimated total cost is $2.1 billion

Principal contractorLockheed Martinplanned

The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin

Financingdonations from Canada, Germany and Norwayplanned

Ukraine will pay for this purchase with donations from Canada, Germany, and Norway via the JUMPSTART program and national funds, financed by the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan.

Non-major defense equipment items include spare parts and logistics and program support

Source: U.S. Department of State. As of October 30, 2026.

Sources
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Ukraine would pay with donations from Canada, Germany and Norway through the JUMPSTART program, plus national funds financed by the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan. No U.S. funds are involved in the proposed sale.1

Ukraine requested 500 PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles. The package also includes spare parts and related logistics and program support, so the estimated total covers more than the missiles themselves.1

State says the proposed sale would sustain Ukraine’s existing PATRIOT system operations against ongoing aerial threats and would have no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness. The approval covers a possible sale; the notification gives no contract award or delivery schedule.1

Sources (1)
  1. State Department, Ukraine – PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missiles, Oct. 30, 2026 www.state.gov