Lockheed Martin PAC-3 MSE’s passes Initial Operational Capability

Air September 5, 2016

The US Army recently declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the Lockheed Martin PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor.

The PAC-3 Missile is a high-velocity interceptor that uses hit-to-kill technology to defend against incoming threats including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. The US Army selected PAC-3 in 1994 to increase the intercept capability in the heritage Patriot system against tactical ballistic missiles. In 2003, Lockheed Martin received a contract to increase the altitude and range of the PAC-3 missile. PAC-3 MSE achieved Milestone C in early 2014 and Lockheed Martin received the first US contract that same year.

PAC-3 MSE includes a larger, more powerful dual-pulse solid rocket motor for added thrust, along with larger fins and other structural modifications to increase agility. These enhancements nearly double the PAC-3’s reach and dramatically improve performance against evolving threats.

As a world leader in systems integration and development of air and missile defence systems and technologies, Lockheed Martin delivers high-quality missile defence solutions that protect citizens, critical assets and deployed forces from current and future threats. The company’s experience spans missile design and production, infrared seekers, command and control/battle management, together with communications, precision pointing and tracking optics, radar and signal processing, as well as threat-representative targets for missile defence tests.

Scott Arnold, Vice President of PAC-3 programmes at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said: “This is an extremely significant milestone in the maturity of our PAC-3 MSE interceptor, providing the warfighter with a more advanced hit-to-kill interceptor against the full spectrum of lower-tier threats. PAC-3 MSE reaching IOC is important because it gives our soldiers an operational capability against imminent threats.”

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Initial Operational Capability interceptor IOC Lockheed Martin Missile Segment Enhancement PAC-3 programmes Scott Arnold US Army Vice President