A new Patriot missile costs less than half the price of a regular interceptor, Lockheed Martin says
Lockheed Martin has unveiled the PAC-3 ACE, a new, lower-cost interceptor missile designed to integrate with existing Patriot systems. The move aims to address surging global demand for air defense munitions amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Why it matters
Rising geopolitical tensions have depleted Western air defense stockpiles, making cost-effective and scalable production critical for national security.
A PAC-2 interceptor is launched from a battery in Taiwan. SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images Lockheed Martin is introducing a new, cheaper Patriot missile. The PAC-3 ACE is meant to cost less than half the price of the regular $4.2 million PAC-3 MSE. The announcement comes amid booming global demand for air defense munitions against higher-end threats. Lockheed Martin announced a new PAC-3 interceptor on Monday that it said costs less than half the price of a regular Patriot missile . The PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector, or ACE, is "built to defeat a wide range of air and missile threats for less than half the cost of a PAC-3 MSE per unit," the defense giant said in a statement.
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