The Pentagon has awarded a $4.76 billion contract to defense contractor Lockheed Martin to rapidly build up stockpiles of the Army’s most advanced terminal anti-missile interceptors, a weapon depleted during heavy use in the war against Iran.
The contract, announced Thursday, calls for the Texas branch of Lockheed to build Patriot PAC-3 missile segment enhancement (MSE) missiles by June 2030.
The PAC-3 MSE is the Army’s key land-based missile defense system that uses high-to-kill interceptor technology.
The system uses an active radar seeker and an interceptor with high-velocity rocket motors and advanced guidance software that the company says provides greater speed, range and maneuverability than an earlier variant of the PAC-3.
The PAC-3 MSE can destroy incoming short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft and increasingly hypersonic missiles at ranges greater than 37 miles and altitudes as high as 21 miles.
The Iran war has severely strained stockpiles of interceptor missiles used by Patriot batteries deployed in the Middle East in response to regional Iranian missile strikes.
The United Arab Emirates Defense Ministry reported earlier this month that Iran launched 23 cruise missiles, 498 ballistic missiles and 2,141 drones at the UAE alone. Most of the missiles and drones were knocked out before they could strike targets in cities like Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
President Trump has said that Iran fired more than 100 missiles at the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, and all the missiles were stopped.
As part of Operation Epic Fury, official U.S. statements indicated Patriot batteries, together with some Terminal High Altitude Area Defense systems and missile defense-equipped ships, played a significant role in defending several nations against Iranian missile threats in the region.
The Central Command, which is in charge of the forces for the war, has coordinated with the air and missile defenses of Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states.
The latest contract is part of an agreement between the Pentagon and Lockheed announced earlier to triple the production of MSE missiles from about 600 a year to as many as 2,000 per year.
On April 1, the Pentagon announced a seven-year plan with Boeing and Lockheed to triple production capacity for MSE warhead seekers, a key element that is expected to speed up overall anti-missile interceptor production.
The accord was part of a Trump administration push to reform a slow and outdated arms procurement system and to vastly improve the defense industrial base.
The Navy is also taking steps to integrate the PAC-3 MSE onto Aegis battle management system-equipped warships that will adapt the Army interceptor for firing from warships.
The fiscal 2027 defense budget request calls for building 3,200 PAC-3 MSE missiles.
The latest contract award follows Lockheed’s announcement last Sept. 3 that the Army let a $9.8 billion contract, the largest in the company’s history, to Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, Texas, for 1,970 PAC-3 MSE interceptors and related hardware.
“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.”
The interceptor is proven in combat against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons and aircraft, the company said, noting that 17 nations have deployed the systems.
In the Middle East, PAC-3 batteries are currently operating in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Jordan to protect American troops, bases and allied infrastructure.
The Iran conflict prompted the military to move additional Patriot batteries and some THAAD systems, a more capable missile defense system, to the Middle East region.
• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.
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