Learning from the costly lessons of the Iran conflict, as well as from the plight of the Ukrainians, the U.S. military wants to bolster its air defense capabilities by adding thousands of additional interceptors to its arsenal every year.
As part of this effort, Lockheed Martin, the primary contractor of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement air defense interceptor, awarded L3Harris Technologies nearly $5 billion to produce propulsion systems for the critical missile.
Early this week, L3Harris Technologies announced a $4.7 billion, seven-year contract with Lockheed Martin to produce the propulsion systems for the PAC-3 MSE air defense missile. The interceptor is one of the most capable air defense weapons in the world.
The nearly contract will support large-scale production of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor’s two-pulse solid rocket motor, Lethality Enhancer, and Attitude Control Motors. The multi-year contract is the company’s largest PAC-3 propulsion award to date.
“Receiving this contract at unparalleled speed allows us to continue expanding PAC-3 propulsion production capacity to enable a wartime footing,” Ken Bedingfield, President, Missile Solutions, L3Harris, said in a company press release.
“Supporting America’s Arsenal of Freedom and ensuring warfighters have the munitions needed to deter and defeat evolving threats will continue to be our priority,” the L3Harris senior executive stated.
The contract is part of a wider effort by the Pentagon and the defense industry to increase the military’s critical munitions arsenal.
In April, for example, the Department of Defense reached an agreement with the defense industry to triple the production of the PAC-3 MSE. Specifically, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and subcontractors, such as L3Harris Technologies, agreed to produce approximately 1,500 PAC-3 interceptors over the next seven years.
Introduced in the early 1980s, the MIM-104 Patriot is one of the most advanced long-range surface-to-air air defense weapon systems in the world. Raytheon has manufactured more than 1,300 units, with a price tag of about $1 billion per battery.
The air defense system is designed to take out aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles flying up to 75,000 feet. It can spot targets at more than 60 miles (100 kilometers).
The PAC-3 MSE itself is one of the most advanced long-range interceptors with the ability to achieve speeds of nearly 3,850 miles per hour (6,150 kms per hour).
However, the MIM-104 Patriot can take other interceptors too, for example the PAC-2 GEM+. Although not as advanced, the PAC-2 GEM+ remains a very capable air defense missile that can reach speeds of more than 3,500 miles per hour (5,650 kilometers per hour).
The wars in Ukraine and Iran show that air defense weapon systems are many times the first line of defense against versatile threats from the air that include ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and kamikaze drones.
Learning – sometimes the hard way – from the lessons of war, the U.S. military wants to ensure that it has sufficient air defense interceptors to counter missile and kamikaze drone salvos from both near-peer and weaker adversaries.
Feature Image: The PAC-3 MSE is a highly sought-after air defense munition due to its advanced capabilities and versatility. As a next-generation interceptor, it offers improved range, speed, and maneuverability, making it an effective counter to a wide range of threats. (Photo by Darrell Ames/U.S. Army)
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