The US Army has placed the largest ever order for the PAC-3 MSE (Missile Segment Enhancement) interceptors launched by the vaunted Patriot missile defense system. This historic purchase comes amid a surge in demand for these interceptors in the wake of burgeoning security threats.
The US Army announced in a statement on September 3 that it signed a mammoth $9.8 billion contract with Lockheed Martin for the purchase of 1,970 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 MSE interceptors and related hardware for the US and its allies. The agreement covers the fiscal years 2024 through 2026.
This contract, the largest in the history of Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control unit, was signed during a ceremony at the company’s facility in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Jason Reynolds, Vice President for Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin, stated, “With this contract, we’ll be delivering record numbers of PAC-3 MSE for years to come.” He also emphasized that the recent combat performance of PAC-3 MSE has made it an essential asset for the United States and its partners globally.
Lockheed said it plans to deliver more than 600 interceptors in 2025, adding that it had ramped up production two years ahead of bagging the contract, with the help of its internal investments. The defense giant reportedly has plans to increase production to 650 per year by 2027 and potentially up to 750 or more in subsequent years.
Missile defense just got a $9.8B boost. 💥
PAC-3 MSE is combat-proven, precision-driven and scaling up.
With the @USArmy, we're advancing production and innovation to stay ahead of emerging threats. pic.twitter.com/EuazyNHgNY
— Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) September 3, 2025
Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, head of the Army’s Program Executive Office Missiles and Space, said in the service statement that the multi-year purchase allows “the Army to procure a larger quantity of missiles for more rapid delivery, thus filling our inventory faster.”
The agreement highlights the sharp increase in demand for missile and air defense systems in the face of more pressing international security issues.
For the United States, the Patriots have been at the forefront of protecting its military assets. For instance, the US Army recorded the largest single-event launch of Patriot interceptors in US military history on June 23, 2025, when Iran launched ballistic missiles on the Al Udeid base in Qatar as retaliation for the US air strikes on its nuclear facilities.
The small number of US troops that remained at the base particularly used the PAC-3 MSE interceptors to take down Iranian missiles, as shown in the footage of the missile launches published online at the time. Notably, the US forces shot down 18 of the 19 incoming missiles, which was hailed as an impressive kill rate.
Some reports suggested that these missiles could be integrated into Trump’s proposed Golden Dome defensive shield as part of a broader defense strategy. However, the US Army announcement did not elaborate on how and where it plans to deploy the missiles on order.
An unknown number of these PAC-3 MSE missiles will be used to supply allies.
Recent conflicts have rekindled interest in air defenses, with several partner countries striving to enhance their missile-based and air defense networks. In fact, the demand for Patriot missile defense systems has surged significantly since conventional war returned to Europe, as reported by the EurAsian Times.
For example, Poland, a major Patriot operator, signed contracts in September 2023 for six additional batteries, including 644 PAC-3 MSE missiles and 12 LTAMDS radars. It is also manufacturing components of the PAC-3 MSE locally.
Besides Poland, other European countries like Switzerland and Romania also placed fresh orders for the system after Russia invaded Ukraine. Additionally, Germany expanded its Patriot order, and Slovakia openly declared its desire to purchase a Patriot missile defense system.
Similarly, countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and the UAE, which operate Patriot systems, face ongoing threats from Iranian proxies, increasing regional demand for interceptors.
While these operators have not placed fresh orders, the rising tensions between the US and Iran in the Middle East have necessitated a stronger defense posture by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) across the region.
Meanwhile, the US allies in the Indo-Pacific, like Japan and Taiwan, are increasingly focused on China’s growing missile capabilities, driving demand for Patriot systems to protect key bases. Japan produces up to 30 PAC-3 MSE missiles annually under license and was earlier reported to be making efforts to expand production despite supply chain issues.
China, for one, has been wary of the Patriot, as demonstrated by its stiff opposition to the deployment of PAC-3 ground-to-air guided missiles at the Miyako Island facility in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
The surge in demand for the Patriot has also been driven by the stellar combat performance of the Patriot in Ukraine. Since it secured the Patriot, Ukrainian forces have relied on the system to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.
In fact, the Patriots made history in Ukraine by downing Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that were earlier positioned as invincible by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Reports suggest that it also took down multiple Su-34s and was responsible for shooting down a Russian A-50.
Ukraine’s heavy use of Patriot interceptors, often requiring two per ballistic missile, has depleted stocks, prompting urgent calls for resupply.
This prompted a consortium of nations, including Germany, Romania, Spain, and the Netherlands, to order 1,000 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles in April 2024. The production of these interceptors is set to be completed by September 2026.
It is not clear what kind of Patriot systems have been donated to Ukraine, but Kyiv likely has at least some of the newer PAC-3 interceptors. The Patriots and the PAC-3 MSE are considered crucial for defense against Russia and China by the US and its key allies. As of now, about seventeen US partners field PAC-3 missiles.
Patriot Missiles To The Rescue
The PAC-3 MSE is the most advanced variant of the Patriot interceptor. It uses the hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets through direct impact instead of explosive fragmentation, which is typical of interceptors. This increases efficacy against modern threats by delivering significantly more kinetic energy.
Lockheed Martin states that the interceptor is intended to counter aircraft, cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, as well as lethal and precise tactical ballistic missiles.
It builds on the PAC-2 and earlier PAC-3 systems by offering improved range, altitude, and accuracy.
The PAC-3 program was launched in the 1990s by learning lessons from the 1991 Gulf War, in which the Patriot system failed to intercept Iraqi Scud missiles. This is when the blast-fragmentation warheads of the PAC-2 were replaced by hit-to-kill technology. The Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) variant was developed in the 2000s to address more sophisticated threats, with initial operational capability achieved in 2016. It incorporates a more powerful rocket motor, advanced guidance systems, and improved lethality.
The PAC-3 MSE features a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, providing greater thrust and range than the original PAC-3. The design essentially allows for two stages of propulsion, improving speed and maneuverability during the terminal phase. The interceptor has a range of up to 35–40 kilometres for ballistic missiles and over 60 kilometres for aerodynamic targets such as aircraft and cruise missiles.
The missile has a Ka-band active radar seeker for terminal guidance, which enables precise targeting. Additionally, it receives mid-course updates from the Patriot ground-based radar,i.e., LTAMDS (Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor) or the AN/MPQ-65 radar.
A single launcher can hold 16 PAC-3 MSE missiles (four per canister, compared to one PAC-2 per canister), increasing firepower per battery.
It has been successfully used in real-world combat across theatres—in Ukraine, in Qatar during the Iranian missile attack, and in Saudi Arabia, where it was deployed to intercept ballistic missiles fired by Houthis, a Yemen-based militia group backed by Iran.
Each PAC-3 MSE missile costs approximately $4–6 million, depending on production contracts and configurations, making it one of the most expensive interceptors in the Patriot family.
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