Lockheed Martin launches the low-cost Patriot.
On the occasion of the Farnborough Airshow, the biennial event dedicated to the aerospace and defense sectors opening today in London, the American giant announced Pac-3 Adapted Capability Effector (Ace), the missile designed to offer a more economical solution compared to current Patriot interceptors.
According to the company, the new system will cost less than half of the current Pac-3 MSE interceptor and could enter initial production within 36 months. The program also foresees collaboration with U.S. and European industrial partners.
Lockheed Martin plans to launch a low-cost Patriot missile to replenish depleted stockpiles, notes the Wall Street Journal. The move comes in response to growing demand from armed forces for more affordable solutions to counter drones, following recent conflicts between Ukraine and the Middle East.
All the details.
THE COST OF THE NEW ACE INTERCEPTOR
The cost of the new Ace will be less than half that of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor, which, based on U.S. Army budget documents, costs about $4 million per missile, reports the Financial Times.
At such a cost, it is not advantageous to use the Patriot to shoot down smaller and cheaper Iranian drones that Russia has purchased and used in Ukraine.
“The U.S. military and allies need a solution proven in the field and at the same time economically advantageous,” said Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
THE GROWING DEMAND FOR AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
The Patriot system is among the most requested air defense systems since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Patriot batteries are employed by Kyiv to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly requested additional launchers and interceptors to strengthen the country’s protection.
The increase in demand has also been driven by tensions in the Middle East, with missile exchanges between Iran, the United States, and Israel and broader instability in the Gulf area, factors that have increased pressure on available stockpiles and highlighted the production limits of the Western defense industry.
The goal of the largest American military contractor is therefore to produce a more affordable version of the Patriot, to be deployed quickly as global stocks of high-end interceptors run low.
At the same time, demand has risen for systems capable of intercepting drones and low-cost missiles without resorting to significantly more expensive interceptors, notes the FT.
THE CHALLENGE OF DEFENSE STARTUPS
Finally, according to the British financial daily, Lockheed Martin’s move fits into a context characterized by growing competition with defense sector startups developing less expensive systems that can be produced on a large scale.
Among these is the Ukrainian company Fire Point, which last month announced the first test flight of its FP-7.x interceptor, designed to counter ballistic missiles and drones at a fraction of the cost of existing Western systems, including Patriot and the Franco-Italian Samp/T system, with the goal of enabling higher volume production.
Lockheed Martin has assured that its PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector can be produced more quickly and will cost buyers less than half compared to the best-selling version, the Missile Segment Enhancement.
