Boeing plans to triple Patriot missile seeker deliveries amid rising demand

Boeing Co. announced plans to triple production of the seekers that guide Patriot missiles, reflecting strong global demand for advanced air-defence systems.

The company has constructed a new 40,000-square-foot facility to boost output, Steve Parker, head of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, said on November 17 at the Dubai Airshow, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“We saw a demand coming well before the customer talked to us about it,” Parker said. “We’re going to be asked to stretch and we’re going to be ready.”

Air and missile defence systems are increasingly critical for many countries, particularly in Europe, where tensions persist due to the threat of Russian aggression.

Boeing’s production plans come in the wake of a recent strike by defence workers in St. Louis, Missouri. Parker said the company is taking a “very measured approach” to reopening the affected production lines.

In other updates, Parker addressed the KC-46 tanker’s remote vision system, which had previously caused operational issues. He said the system has been upgraded to version 2.0 and successfully tested in flight. The U.S. Air Force indicated the upgrade is expected to be fully implemented by 2027, a timeline Boeing confirmed remains on track.

By Vugar Khalilov