In Poland, Lockheed Martin partnered with local industry to develop and manufacture components of the Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) – the world’s most advanced air defense missile. In 2023, Lockheed Martin and the Polish Ministry of Defence finalized an agreement for offset commitments supporting the PAC-3 WISLA Phase II programme. The agreement created eight new projects that will sustain high-value manufacturing and engineering jobs in Poland and provide new areas of technology, training, and technical assistance to the Polish defense industrial base.
“We’re excited to continue our partnership with the Polish defence industry to rapidly produce and deliver critical PAC-3 MSE components to our worldwide customers,” says Brian Kubik, Vice President of PAC-3 Programs, Lockheed Martin. “By leveraging our Polish partnerships, we’re able to expand our supply chain and accelerate delivery of PAC-3 MSE to meet the increasing global demand.”
This week, Lockheed Martin signed official agreements with five Polish companies to support the eight new projects. These projects will build on Lockheed Martin’s existing relationships within the Polish defence industry under the initial WISLA programme and provide capabilities to strengthen Poland’s regional security. The success of the PAC-3 WISLA offsets program continues to lay the groundwork for additional partnerships in Poland. The eight new projects include growing hardware-in-the-loop capability, which expands missile system test abilities with PGZ (Warsaw) and PCO (Warsaw), expanding the capacity for launch tube production at WZL-1 (Deblin) and aircraft maintenance at WZL-2 (Bydgoszcz). Another project will provide training, equipment and software to support solid rocket motor production by Mesko (Skarzysko-Kamienna).
The PAC-3 family of missiles defend against incoming threats using direct body-to-body contact that delivers exponentially more kinetic energy on the target than can be achieved with blast-fragmentation mechanisms. Building on the combat-proven PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI), the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) expands the lethal battlespace with a two-pulse solid rocket motor, providing increased performance in altitude and range. As part of its role in JADO, PAC-3 has demonstrated integration with the THAAD Weapon System, the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) and F-35, the most advanced node in the 21st century warfare network-centric architecture. The PAC-3 MSE is packaged in a single canister that stacks to provide logistical flexibility. Twelve individual PAC-3 MSE Missiles can be loaded on a PATRIOT Launcher or a combination of six MSEs and eight PAC-3 Missiles (two four packs) can be loaded.
The PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) is an evolution of the battle-proven PAC-3 Missile. The hit-to-kill PAC-3 MSE provides performance enhancements that counter evolving threat advancements. The enhancements ensure the PAC-3 Missile Segment of the PATRIOT Air Defense System is capable of engaging new and evolving threats. The hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missile is the world’s most advanced, and capable theater air defense missile and defender against the entire threat to the PATRIOT Air Defense System: Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBMs) carrying weapons of mass destruction, evolving cruise missiles and aircraft. The PAC-3 MSE design utilizes the latest technology to significantly increase performance. The PAC-3 MSE incorporates a larger, dual pulse solid rocket motor; larger fins; and upgraded actuators and thermal batteries to accommodate increased performance. The modifications extends the missile’s reach.
