Lockheed Martin unveils PAC-3 Edge interceptor designed to counter hypersonic threats

Lockheed Martin on Friday unveiled PAC-3 Edge, a missile interceptor designed to defend against hypersonic and advanced missile threats, as the U.S. military looks to strengthen its capabilities to counter emerging aerial threats .

Growing demand for air and missile defense systems amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East has strained U.S. weapons stockpiles, prompting the U.S. Army to award Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion in July to ramp up production of PAC-3 interceptors.

Lockheed Martin said PAC-3 Edge incorporates a new seeker, upgraded flight controls and a multi-pulse rocket motor supplied by Northrop Grumman, enhancing the interceptor’s ability to counter advanced threats, including hypersonic missiles, at longer ranges and higher altitudes.

“The cost of this would be about that of the existing PAC-3 MSE,” Tim Cahill, president of missiles and fire control at Lockheed Martin, told Reuters. “At full production, the annual rate would be about 2,000 units a year, comparable with PAC-3 MSE.”

In January, Lockheed Martin signed a seven-year framework agreement with the Pentagon to expand production of its PAC-3 missile interceptors, aiming to increase annual manufacturing capacity to 2,000 units from about 600.

洛克希德·马丁公司周五推出了PAC-3 Edge导弹拦截器，该拦截器旨在防御高超音速和先进导弹威胁，美国军方希望借此加强其应对新兴空中威胁的能力。

由于乌克兰和中东冲突不断，对防空和导弹防御系统的需求日益增长，美国武器库存捉襟见肘，促使美国陆军在 7 月份授予洛克希德·马丁公司一份价值高达 586 亿美元的合同，以提高 PAC-3 拦截器的产量。

洛克希德·马丁公司表示，PAC-3 Edge 采用了由诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司提供的新型导引头、升级的飞行控制系统和多脉冲火箭发动机，增强了拦截器在更远的距离和更高的高度对抗包括高超音速导弹在内的先进威胁的能力。

洛克希德·马丁公司导弹与火控总裁蒂姆·卡希尔告诉路透社：“这款导弹的成本与现有的PAC-3 MSE导弹大致相同。全面投产后，年产量约为2000枚，与PAC-3 MSE导弹相当。”

今年 1 月，洛克希德·马丁公司与五角大楼签署了一项为期七年的框架协议，旨在扩大其 PAC-3 导弹拦截器的生产，目标是将年产能从约 600 台提高到 2000 台。