Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will design and deliver a containerized launcher for PAC-3 MSE missiles, which will later undergo a series of trials and tests. The work also includes a containerized control module designed to provide 360-degree missile guidance capability, with three examples of the system to be delivered.
The containerized PAC-3 MSE launcher is intended to increase the density of Patriot missile systems in a given area. According to the concept, the launcher could be transported by any truck with sufficient payload capacity and positioned at improvised sites that may attract less attention than standard launch vehicles.
The module is expected to include the necessary connections for power supply and communications with a command post. It could also provide an alternative to the traditional M903 launchers mounted on vehicles or trailers.
The initiative may reflect U.S. operational lessons from the conflict with Iran, as well as observations from the war in Ukraine. Both conflicts have highlighted the importance of dispersal, mobility and survivability for air and missile defense systems.
The competition to select a contractor was launched on April 21, with bids due by May 4. From the outset, Lockheed Martin was identified as the only possible contractor because it holds the required expertise and intellectual property rights for the technology.
