"Achieving this significant milestone is a testament to the strong relationship we've built with our suppliers and customer," said Richard McDaniel, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's director of PAC-3 programs. "We will continue to meet or exceed our target schedule requirements, keeping the only proven hit-to-kill, kinetic energy air defense missile operationally ready for our warfighters."

PAC-3 Missiles have now been produced and fielded in significant quantities, requiring the program to move into the next phase of the weapon system life cycle, O&S. During the O&S phase, PAC-3 Missiles are selected from the inventory and disassembled so major assemblies and components can be tested to ensure the missiles have maintained their reliability and combat readiness.

The hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missile is the most advanced, capable and powerful theater air defense missile in the inventory. It defeats tactical ballistic missiles, advanced cruise missiles, and fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The PAC-3 Missile provides leap-ahead protection for the warfighters in their defining moments.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is the prime contractor on the PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade to the Patriot air defense system. The PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade consists of the PAC-3 Missile, a highly agile hit-to-kill interceptor, the PAC-3 Missile canisters (in four packs), a Fire Solution Computer and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System.

Lockheed Martin is the only provider of proven hit-to-kill missile defense systems capable of defeating tactical ballistic missiles. The Patriot Air Defense System, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) are elements of the terminal defense layer of the National Ballistic Missile Defense System.

The PAC-3 Missile has been selected as the primary interceptor for the multi-national MEADS program. Managed by the NATO MEADS Management Agency (NAMEADSMA), MEADS is a model transatlantic development program focused on the next generation of air and missile defense. The MEADS Design and Development phase will develop, test and field all the major end items that make up a state of the art Air defense system incorporating the PAC-3 Missile Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) variant as the prime interceptor.

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