From the US first perspective, we have to choose from the following, and combinations of maybe 2-3 options:
1. Patriot munitions and systems upgrades go to US critical basing and forward-deployed locations in the Pacific, then Europe, then Middle East.
2. Patriot supplies go to US FMS clients in the Pacific who have been long-standing customers and regional partners who cooperate with US National interests.
3. Patriot supplies go to US FMS clients in Europe/NATO who have been long-standing customers as above.
4. Patriot supplies go to Ukraine, where Russian ballistic missiles and medium drones fall on Ukrainian cities and civilians regularly.
It’s a crap sandwich either way, but priority obviously must favor US personnel and basing, followed by areas with major regional threats as identified in the US Defense strategy.
China would love nothing more for us to focus Patriot interceptor munitions to Ukraine instead of Taiwan, ROK, or Japan.
But no Chinese ballistic missiles are falling on its neighbors right now.
Patriot interceptors don’t just grow on trees.