Germany plans large procurement of PAC-3 MSE interceptors from Lockheed Martin

By Defence Industry Europe

The U.S. Department of State has approved the potential sale of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) missiles and associated equipment to Germany, according to an announcement made by the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 15 August. The approval follows a request made by Germany in January under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme to purchase up to 600 PAC-3 MSE missiles.

 

The total cost of the procurement could reach up to USD 5 billion (approximately EUR 4.5 billion). The package includes not only the missiles themselves but also a range of additional support services. These include technical documentation, logistical services, training support, system integration, and spare parts, including conversion kits for the MSE missiles.

 

LWE 300 x 250

 

According to the DSCA, the proposed sale will enhance Germany’s ability to counter current and future threats, significantly boosting the defensive capabilities of its military. The acquisition is also expected to improve Germany’s national and territorial defence, as well as its interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces. The DSCA also stated that Germany is well-positioned to integrate this new equipment into its existing military infrastructure without difficulty.

The U.S. Army, acting on behalf of the U.S. government, will enter into a production and delivery contract with Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the PAC-3 MSE missiles. However, the DSCA has not provided a specific timeline for the delivery of the missiles.

 

 

Germany is currently undertaking significant upgrades to its air defence capabilities. In addition to acquiring the IRIS-T air defence system—of which the first unit was delivered two weeks ago—Germany’s Bundeswehr placed orders with RTX for a total of eight Patriot air defence fire units in March and July of this year. These acquisitions follow the transfer of three Patriot systems to Ukraine, which reduced Germany’s inventory to seven. The new procurements are intended to raise the total number of fire units to 15, with delivery expected between 2025 and 2029.

 

Tags:

Related news & articles

Latest news

Featured