US buys 2,000 missiles to hit stealth jets, hypersonics at 118,000 feet

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $9.8 billion contract to produce nearly 2,000 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors, marking the largest contract in the company’s Missiles and Fire Control division history. The PAC-3 MSE is the world’s most advanced air defense missile, capable of intercepting targets up to 75 miles (120 kilometers) away and at altitudes of 118,000 feet (36 kilometers). It employs “hit-to-kill” technology, destroying incoming threats through direct collision, which enhances its effectiveness against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, and aircraft. The missile features a two-pulse solid rocket motor, larger collapsible fins, improved actuators, longer-lasting thermal batteries, and an active radar seeker for autonomous terminal guidance, offering about 50% greater range and maneuverability than earlier models. Lockheed Martin is expanding production capacity to meet rising global demand, with plans to deliver