American companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, which produce missiles for the Patriot systems, are concerned that Ukraine could manufacture them faster and cheaper if it receives the appropriate license. This was reported by The Atlantic magazine, citing sources in the U.S. Congress. Publicly, the companies explain their position by citing risks of intellectual property theft and unauthorized technology transfer. However, as one representative of the Republican Party in the U.S. Congress told the publication, the true reason may be fears of increased competition. According to him, the manufacturers believe that Ukrainian engineers are capable of improving the system and organizing mass production of missiles at a lower cost than American enterprises. The issue of the license for the production of ammunition for the Patriot systems was raised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 28 during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. In addition, Kyiv requested the transfer of several hundred missiles from U.S. stockpiles. However, Trump refused to fulfill this request, citing the reduction of U.S. stockpiles and the need to preserve them for other areas, including the Middle East. Importantly, the issue concerns not only the supply of ready-made missiles but also the possibility of organizing their production directly in Ukraine. Such a step would allow Kyiv to reduce dependence on foreign supplies and accelerate the replenishment of air defense resources. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), over the past six months, the U.S. has expended about two-thirds of its Patriot missile stockpiles during military actions against Iran. At the same time, analysts at The Atlantic note that the Ukrainian defense industry has significantly increased its capabilities. According to the publication's estimates, Ukraine currently produces about 10 million drones per year, while production in the U.S. is approximately 100,000. This, in the opinion of the publication's authors, indicates that the Ukrainian defense industry is becoming increasingly independent and less reliant on direct arms supplies from abroad.