American defense industry giant Lockheed Martin has announced a significant milestone in the production of PAC-3 MSE missiles for the Patriot air defense system, essential for intercepting ballistic threats.
In 2024, the company produced 500 MSE missiles, a 30% increase from the previous year. Plans for 2025 include a further 20% boost, bringing annual production to 600 units.
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This exceeds earlier projections, which had set a target of 550 missiles per year by 2026 and 650 by 2027. In other words, the company is ahead of schedule in expanding its capacities. But important to note here is that this acceleration reflects a synchronized effort across multiple defense manufacturers.
For instance, Boeing, which supplies the missile's active radar seeker, has also set a new record, producing 500 units in 2024. Moreover, Boeing has invested additional resources to expand its facilities with a new 3,300-square-meter production site set to open this spring.
Another key component, the MSE’s solid-propellant engine, is produced by Aerojet Rocketdyne, now part of L3Harris. The company has been scaling up its output, too: a third production line was added last year in Camden, Arkansas.
This, according to a company statement, allowed to increase production of divert and attitude control systems by 40%. Apparently, production of main rocket boost motors for this missile has also grown by a similar percentage.
Furthermore, in February 2025, L3Harris announced plans for four additional solid engine production facilities at the site. Notably, Aerojet Rocketdyne supplies solid engines not only for Patriot missiles but also for THAAD, Standard Missile, Stinger, and Javelin systems.
Increasing solid rocket motor production Strengthening national securityWe’ve officially broken ground on four cutting-edge solid rocket motor facilities in Camden, Arkansas. These state-of-the-art manufacturing buildings will boost production for key defense programs. We’re… pic.twitter.com/25VGOpXQqN — L3Harris (@L3HarrisTech) February 20, 2025
That said, Boeing and Aerojet Rocketdyne are only two of the vast network of Lockheed Martin's contractors, each with its own supply chain, making a coordinated effort between all elements of this organism essential to the overall expansion.
As a reminder, in June 2024, the Pentagon placed a $4.5 billion order for 870 MSE missiles, pricing each unit at $5.17 million.
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