Forcing allies to buy their own weapons, the US immediately has a contract to produce 2,000 missiles

According to Defense News, the Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin a $9.8 billion contract to produce nearly 2,000 of the most advanced versions of the Patriot air defense missile starting in 2026.

This is partly due to the impact of US President Donald Trump's success in forcing European countries to buy missiles from the US if they want to support Ukraine.

The latest PAC-3 missile for the Patriot system.

The Pentagon announced the deal during a joint signing ceremony Wednesday at Lockheed’s Grand Prairie, Texas, facility. The contract marks the largest in the history of the company’s Missile and Fire Control unit.

The latest Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile, called Segment Enhancement, is tested at White Sands Missile Range. Photo: Lockheed Martin

The agreement is valid until 2026 for approximately 1,970 Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles and related hardware for the US and its allies.

“PAC-3 MSE’s recent combat performance has solidified its position as an indispensable capability for the United States and its allies around the world ,” Jason Reynolds, Lockheed’s vice president of integrated air and missile defense, said in a company statement.

The contract will see Lockheed deliver a record number of PAC-3 MSEs over the next several years, underscoring Washington’s efforts to replenish its missile stockpile and bolster its supply chain as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East increase demand.

PAC-3 MSE, which uses "hit-to-kill" technology, is designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic threats and aircraft.

The US supports Ukraine by selling Patriot missiles to European countries. Photo: Kyiv Independent

Seventeen partner nations, including the US Army, own PAC-3 missiles. “The multi-year purchase allows the US to have a larger number of missiles to deliver more quickly, thus filling our arsenal faster,” said Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, head of the US Army’s Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space.

Lockheed said it plans to deliver more than 600 interceptors by 2025, ramping up production nearly two years ahead of the award date thanks to internal investments.

Joseph Giunta, senior contracting officer for the Army at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, said in a statement that the contract “reflects disciplined procurement and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.”

Earlier this summer, Lockheed Martin told Defense News that it was working toward delivering 650 PAC-3 MSE missiles per year by 2027. It currently produces about 550 missiles per year.

The company is also looking at the possibility of increasing production to 650 missiles a year earlier than planned, Reynolds told Defense News in July at the Association of the U.S. Army's LandEuro conference in Wiesbaden, Germany.

The US government has not yet officially released figures for peak production, but experts predict that in the coming years, this number will exceed 1,000 and even higher.