Lockheed Martin Receives $376 Million Contract For Pac-3 Missile Program

MISSILE DEFENSE

The PAC-3 is the next-generation Patriot missile, employing hit-to-kill technology to intercept and destroy tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and air breathing threats through direct body-to-body contact.

by Staff Writers
Dallas TX (SPX) Mar 20, 2007
Lockheed Martin has received a $376 million contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) for hardware and services associated with the combat-proven Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile program. The contract includes production of 112 hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missiles, launcher modification kits, spares and other equipment, as well as program management and engineering services.

The PAC-3 Missile is currently the world's only fielded pure kinetic energy air defense missile. Production of all equipment will take place at Lockheed Martin manufacturing facilities in Dallas and Lufkin, TX, and the PAC-3 All-Up Round facility in Camden, AR.

"Our highest priority is ensuring that U.S. warfighters around the world receive a missile defense system that they can depend on," said Richard McDaniel, director - PAC-3 Missile Program at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "The PAC-3 team at our award-winning Camden, Arkansas, manufacturing facility is committed to excellence and is focused on producing the absolute highest quality product possible."

Lockheed Martin's Camden Operations was selected as one of INDUSTRYWEEK magazine's "Top Ten Best Plants" for 2006. The Camden plant was selected from more than 200 potential candidate facilities across North America.

The PAC-3 Missile is the world's most advanced, capable and powerful theater air defense missile. It defeats the Patriot Air Defense System threat: tactical ballistic missiles, evolving cruise missiles and fixed and rotary winged aircraft. PAC-3 Missiles significantly increase the Patriot system's firepower, since 16 PAC-3s load out on a Patriot launcher, compared with four legacy Patriot PAC-2 missiles.

Lockheed Martin achieved the first-ever hit-to-kill intercept in 1984 with the Homing Overlay Experiment, using force of impact alone to destroy a mock warhead outside of the Earth's atmosphere. Further development and testing produced today's PAC-3 Missile, which won a competition in 1993 to become the first hit-to-kill interceptor produced by the U.S. government. The PAC-3 Missile has been the technology pathfinder for today's total conversion to kinetic energy interceptors for all modern missile defense systems.

Currently, the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis Weapon System, PAC-3 Missile, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System, the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) and the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV) utilize this proven advanced technology to deliver lethality against today's most dangerous threats.

The PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missile has been selected as the U.S. primary interceptor for the multi-national Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS). MEADS is a model transatlantic program for the next generation of air and missile defense. MEADS will focus on risk reduction, application of key technologies and validation of a system design incorporating the PAC-3 MSE Missile as the primary interceptor.

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MISSILE DEFENSE

US Missile Plans Accelerate Defence Shield Debate At NATO

Brussels (AFP) March 15, 2007
US plans to install part of a missile shield in Europe, despite Russian hostility, have accelerated debate at NATO about developing a similar system, alliance diplomats say.

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