The U.S. Department of Defense has signed new agreements with defense companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to expand production capacities for components of missile defense systems, including Patriot PAC-3 and THAAD interceptors.
Announced on Monday, the agreements aim to accelerate the production of key elements of these systems amid rising demand driven by international conflicts and the need to replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles.
Increasing production of Patriot and THAAD
“Creating the Arsenal of Freedom requires reliable, dynamic supply chains at every level of the industrial base”, said Michael P. Duffy, Deputy Secretary of Defense for Acquisitions and Sustainment.
According to the Pentagon, the new agreements are expected to triple the production of Patriot interceptors and quadruple the production of THAAD interceptors.
While the full terms of the new agreement were not disclosed, the U.S. Army on Wednesday signed a contract with Lockheed Martin valued at over $58 billion for the production of Patriot interceptor missiles. This contract replaces a previous one-year agreement worth $4.7 billion, signed by the Pentagon in April, with a seven-year agreement for the supply of interceptors. Northrop Grumman‘s share in the new agreement exceeds $3 billion.
The new agreement was signed as the Pentagon sought to accelerate defense production. U.S. involvement in several conflicts, including the confrontation with Iran and ongoing military support for Ukraine, is putting additional pressure on U.S. air defense system stocks.
Source: Al Jazeera
