Pentagon, Boeing sign seven-year accord to triple PAC-3 seeker production

Boeing has reached a seven-year framework agreement with the United States Department of Defense to triple production capacity for seekers used in the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE), the company announced on April 1.

The agreement aligns with efforts by Lockheed Martin to significantly increase output of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor. In January, Lockheed Martin unveiled its own seven-year framework deal aimed at raising annual production of PAC-3 interceptors from approximately 600 to 2,000 units, Defense News reports.

“This agreement paves the way for us to scale rapidly to deliver increasingly sophisticated seekers,” Bob Ciesla, vice president of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems, said in a release announcing the deal. “In 2025, we increased deliveries by over 30% and we’re excited for the opportunity to grow our highly skilled workforce.”

Production work on the seekers is expected to begin immediately and will take place at Boeing’s facility in Huntsville, Alabama, the company said.

The PAC-3 MSE seeker is designed to identify, track and engage a range of aerial threats, including ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons and hostile aircraft. Once a target is identified, the interceptor — equipped with a two-pulse solid rocket motor — is intended to neutralise it through direct body-to-body impact.

The announcement comes amid growing debate over the U.S. military’s reliance on high-cost interceptor systems to counter lower-cost munitions, particularly following their use against Iranian-deployed systems during Operation Epic Fury.

By Sabina Mammadli