US faces critical shortage of Patriot missiles in Europe, officials tell AP

Key Points:

• The U.S. military faces a "beyond critical" shortage of advanced Patriot missile interceptors in Europe, largely due to the redeployment of these missiles to the Middle East amid President Trump's conflict with Iran, raising NATO's vulnerability to potential Russian ballistic missile attacks.
• Patriot missile inventories in Europe are insufficient to defend against sustained or even single ballistic missile strikes, with shortages most acute in Ukraine, where U.S. transfers have been significant and demand for air defense support is high.
• The Iran conflict has rapidly depleted U.S. missile stocks, using up about 65% of the nation's Patriots, while production to replenish these stocks is underway but will not meet full demand until around 2030; NATO plans to open a Patriot missile production facility in Germany soon.
• Alternatives to the Patriot system, such as France and Italy’s SAMP/T NG air defense system, exist but have limitations, including smaller range and lack of battle testing; European warships offer mobile defense but may be impractical for protecting inland targets.
• Despite shortages, NATO and Pentagon officials deny critical deficits, asserting adequate defense capabilities, while experts note that Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and its own air defense vulnerabilities likely limit its ability to launch large-scale missile attacks on NATO countries in the near term.