A Lockheed Martin Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptor has engaged an airborne threat in a recent flight test using the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), Lockheed Martin announced on 18 August 2025.
During the flight test a PAC-3 MSE successfully intercepted a target using data from one of the LTAMDS’s secondary radars: a significant step toward fielding a 360° engagement capability for the US Army’s modernised Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) architecture.
“PAC-3 continues to demonstrate advanced, reliable performance in increasingly complex operational environments,” Brian Kubik, vice president of PAC-3 programmes at Lockheed Martin, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Delivering 360° engagement capability will enable soldiers to defend against threats from any direction, enhancing the US Army’s IAMD capabilities.”
The LTAMDS radar, which is produced by Raytheon, features three antenna arrays – a primary array on the front and two secondary arrays on the back – to provide a true 360° engagement capability. The system is now in production.
Lockheed Martin stated in a press release that the milestone “demonstrates PAC-3’s ability to work seamlessly with cutting-edge technologies”. The company added that it is on track to deliver a new record high of more than 600 PAC-3 MSEs in 2025 and is working closely with the US Army to take proactive steps towards accelerating Patriot deliveries to customers. Ukraine is in particular need of Patriot rounds to defend its forces and infrastructure against the onslaught of Russian missile and drone attacks.
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