Lockheed Martin successfully delivered the first shipment of the Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors to Bahrain. The PAC-3 MSE’s advanced capabilities will improve Bahrain’s air and missile defense capabilities and support security in the region. This is the first of several shipments to deliver PAC-3 MSEs to the country. PAC-3 uses Hit-to-Kill technology to defend against threats through direct body-to-body contact that delivers exponentially more kinetic energy on the target than can be achieved with blast-fragmentation mechanisms. Fifteen nations have chosen PAC-3 to provide advanced air and missile defense capabilities.
“PAC-3 MSE is a combat-proven Hit-to-Kill interceptor that can defend against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, advanced threats, and aircraft. PAC-3 MSE will help Bahrain deter evolving regional threats and defend its national integrity,” said Brenda Davidson, vice president of PAC-3 Programs.
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, the primary such system used by the United States Army and several allied states. It is manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and derives its name from the radar component of the weapon system. The AN/MPQ-53 at the heart of the system is known as the “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target,” which is a backronym for “Patriot”. In addition to these roles, Patriot has been given a function in the U.S. Army’s anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system. As of 2016, the system is expected to stay fielded until at least 2040. Patriot was one of the first tactical systems in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to employ lethal autonomy in combat.
The PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability 3) upgrade is a significant upgrade to nearly every aspect of the system. It took place in three stages deployed in 1995, 1996 and 2000, and units were designated Configuration 1, 2, or 3. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is the prime contractor on the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement upgrade (MSE) to the Patriot air defense system which will make the missile more agile and extend its range by up to 50%. Patriot’s PAC-3 MSE interceptor was selected as the primary interceptor for the new MEADS system when its design and development program began in 2004. MEADS is designed with plug-and-fight capabilities to support data exchange with external sensors and launchers through standardized open protocols for integrated air and missile defense (IAMD).
