Boeing, Lockheed Martin, US Army Mark 10 Years of PAC-3 Missile Seeker Production

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today marked the 10th anniversary of its production of the seeker for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile, as well as the upcoming delivery of the 1,000th seeker to prime contractor Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], with a ceremony at the Boeing production facility in Huntsville.

The PAC-3 Missile, which has been in service with the U.S. Army since 2001, is a high-velocity, hit-to-kill missile and the newest addition to the Patriot family of missiles. The Boeing-built seeker detects and tracks the target during the terminal phase of an enemy engagement, providing data to the missile’s onboard guidance system.

“The PAC-3 Missile, the most advanced air defense missile in the world, is battle-proven to defend with hit-to-kill precision against a range of threats, including ballistic and cruise missiles,” said Debra Rub, vice president of Boeing Weapons Programs. “The Boeing seeker team is focused on quality above all else to ensure it will succeed every time the PAC-3 Missile is called on to protect U.S. and allied warfighters and civilians against hostile forces.”

The PAC-3 Missile intercepts and destroys tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and hostile aircraft through direct body-to-body impact. The PAC-3 Missile seeker provides active target information that enables the missile to acquire the target, select the optimal aim point and initiate terminal guidance to ensure target kill.

Boeing’s PAC-3 Missile seeker work includes production, assembly, integration and testing at the Huntsville facility; production and testing of circuit card assemblies in El Paso, Texas; and program management and design work in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Since the first delivery in 1997, Boeing has produced more than 940 PAC-3 Missile seekers and is on schedule to deliver the 1,000th seeker before the end of this year.