US Army awards Lockheed Martin contract to increase PAC-3 missile production capacity

News, US November 19, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

3 minute read

The United States Army recently awarded American defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin a contract to increase the production capacity of Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancements (MSEs) to 650 per year.

According to the Lockheed Martin statement, “Over the last eight months, the PAC-3 team has significantly increased output and achieved new record highs for missile production. In 2024, production has grown by more than 30% with another 20% growth planned for next year.”

Lockheed Martin is set to surpass its stated production capacity for the next several years. By the end of 2024, the defense firm is expected to set a new record by producing over 500 PAC-3 MSE missiles. Additionally, the Lockheed Martin team recently achieved a major milestone by completing the 2,000th PAC-3 MSE missile, marking a significant achievement in the program’s history.

Vice president of PAC-3 Programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Brian Kubik said, “Demand for PAC-3 MSE’s combat-proven deterrence capabilities continues to grow at a rapid pace.”

Kubik highlighted, “To meet the increased demand, Lockheed Martin started this effort with internal funding more than a year ago to expand the PAC-3 MSE production capacity, both in our factories and across the supply chain. We are also investing to implement lean, agile processes to deliver this critical product to our partners more efficiently.”

The increased production of critical systems like the PAC-3 is a cornerstone of Lockheed Martin’s 21st Century Security vision, focused on fortifying the defense industrial base and delivering advanced, modernized solutions. As Lockheed Martin accelerates production to meet growing demand, the PAC-3 MSE stands as a flagship system, providing precise and effective responses to both current and evolving threats.

Patriot missile launch — ^{The launch of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile at the range. (Image Credit: Lockheed Martin)}

Earlier this month, Lockheed Martin successfully integrated Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) missile with Raytheon’s Raytheon’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar to counter threats from advanced Tactical Ballistic Missiles.

The U.S. has also conducted software updates for the PAC-3 missile that enhanced its capabilities to counter evolving threats. These updates integrate with the U.S. Army’s modernized Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) architecture, reinforcing the system’s ability to defeat a wide range of air and missile threats. The latest improvements are designed to support the layered defense strategy of the IAMD, offering greater protection and flexibility in response to sophisticated and varied adversarial tactics.

PAC-3 Missile

The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 MSE is a high-velocity interceptor that defends against incoming threats. The PAC-3 missiles can effectively counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft.

The PAC-3 MSE missile has a two-pulse solid rocket motor that increases the altitude and range performances. It can also be integrated with the THAAD weapon system, the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System, as well as the F-35. Lockheed Martin is also working to integrate the PAC-3 MSE with the Aegis Weapon System.

The PAC-3 system employs Hit-to-Kill technology, defending against threats through direct body-to-body contact, delivering significantly higher kinetic energy on target compared to blast-fragmentation methods. This technology makes the PAC-3 effective against a range of current and emerging threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, advanced hypersonic threats, and cruise missiles.