As demand for missile defense interceptors continues to rise around the globe, the US Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $9.8 billion contract for Patriot missiles, the largest in the company's history.
It is the largest order ever of Patriot missiles, covering close to 2,000 missiles and related hardware. Lockheed is manufacturing the newest version of the interceptors that arm the Patriot, known as PAC-3 MSE, which costs about $4 million each, according to Army budget documents.
The Navy also anticipates integrating the Lockheed Martin-made missiles with ships' air defenses.
"PAC-3 MSE’s recent combat performance solidified it as a must-have capability for America and its allies around the world," said Jason Reynolds, vice president and general manager of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin. "With this contract, we’ll be delivering record numbers of PAC-3 MSE for years to come, ensuring our customers have the advanced missile defense solutions they need to defend what matters most.”
With its ability to intercept ballistic, cruise, hypersonic and other airborne threats, the Patriot system is a cornerstone of the defense strategies of the United States and 17 partner nations. It is among the sophisticated air defense units supplied by the West to Ukraine as it continues to fight Russia's invasion. It could also be employed in US President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense shield.
PAC-3 MSE defends against incoming threats through direct body-to-body contact, delivering exponentially more kinetic energy on the target than can be achieved with blast fragmentation mechanisms. The highly agile Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors produced under the contract would go to the US Army and a handful of US allies.
In late August, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Denmark of the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) enabled Patriot equipment and support for an estimated cost of $8.5 billion.
Denmark plans to send equipment to Ukraine
According to reports, Denmark plans to send the equipment to Ukraine. The State Department said that “this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.”
“The proposed sale will improve Denmark’s capability to meet current and future threats by increasing its combat capability,” it added.
Lockheed Martin said that the company is continuing to ramp production of PAC-3 to meet increased demand around the world. The company is expected to deliver more than 600 interceptors in 2025 for the first time.