Overview
- Lockheed unveiled the PAC-3 Edge on Oct. 12, 2026, and said the Army moved the design into the next stage of the Future Interceptor competition.
- The company says the missile includes a Strigo-designed seeker funded with about $250 million, a larger-diameter airframe, front-mounted attitude-control motors, and a three-pulse solid rocket motor developed with Northrop Grumman to reach higher and maneuver more than the PAC-3 MSE.
- Lockheed says the PAC-3 Edge is compatible with existing M903 Patriot launchers, containerized launcher concepts, the HIMARS FLEX launcher option, and Army command-and-control networks such as IBCS to simplify fielding.
- Lockheed plans flight testing in 2027 and is aiming to meet the Army's residual operational capability target by 2031 while pursuing a company-backed production ramp that it says could raise annual PAC-3 output from about 600 to 2,000 missiles.
- The Army has not independently confirmed awards, quantities, budgets, or final timelines for the Future Interceptor program, leaving procurement, congressional funding decisions, and the balance between interceptor cost and massed threats as the key uncertainties for deployment and sustainment.