Overview
- Lockheed announced the PAC‑3 Adapted Capability Effector, or ACE, on July 20 at the Farnborough Airshow and said the new interceptor will cost less than half a PAC‑3 MSE round.
- The company says ACE will plug into existing PAC‑3 fire‑control and the Integrated Battle Command System so it can be fielded faster, with initial production targeted in about 36 months and first flight tests described by company officials as possible in roughly 18 to 24 months or by early 2028.
- Lockheed describes ACE as a multi‑threat interceptor that can engage aircraft, cruise missiles and close‑ to short‑range ballistic missiles but it is not designed for drone swarms and will be less capable than the higher‑end PAC‑3 MSE against the most advanced threats.
- The firm says it will lower cost by dialing back some seeker and rocket‑motor performance, using advanced manufacturing and by sourcing components from U.S. and European suppliers through Requests for Information rather than revealing a fixed unit price today.
- The move responds to strained interceptor stocks from operations in Ukraine and the Middle East and to competition from European rivals and start‑ups, and it could widen magazine depth for allied forces while reshaping transatlantic production and supply choices.