Japan has agreed to sell an undisclosed number of Patriot missiles to the United States for 3 billion yen ($19 million) to help replenish U.S. stockpiles that have been depleted after bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses.
The deal was confirmed by Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) on Sunday.
While ATLA officials did not specify the number of missiles involved, a former Pentagon official familiar with the negotiations indicated that around 10 missiles are expected to be transferred. These standard PAC-3 missiles from the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will be delivered to the U.S. military “soon,” according to ATLA.
The Patriot missile system, which stands for “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target,” is the U.S. Army’s most advanced air defense system, capable of detecting and intercepting incoming missiles. In the United States, RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies) produces the radar and ground systems, while Lockheed Martin manufactures the interceptor missiles.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries produces approximately 30 Patriot missiles annually for the Air Self-Defense Force. The SDF currently uses three types of Patriot missiles: PAC-2, PAC-3, and the advanced PAC-3 MSE (Missile Segment Enhancement), which has an extended range of up to 50%. An advanced PAC-3 missile typically costs around $4 million.
The Ministry of Defense emphasized that the PAC-3 missiles sold to the U.S. would not be provided to non-U.S. government entities and are intended solely to backfill U.S. stockpiles. This assurance was confirmed during a two-plus-two meeting of foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo on Sunday.
During the meeting, the U.S. and Japan agreed to expand coproduction of PAC-3 MSEs and begin coproduction of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
Earlier this month, Reuters reported delays in boosting Patriot missile production due to shortages of a critical component manufactured by Boeing. Specifically, the shortage of missile seekers, which guide the missiles in the final stages of flight, has affected production.