Boeing has agreed a seven-year framework with the US Department of “War” to significantly expand production of PAC-3 missile seekers, according to the company.
The agreement is intended to triple output of the seekers, which are used in PAC-3 interceptors to identify, track and engage aerial and missile threats including aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
The framework forms part of what the US government describes as an “Arsenal of Freedom” initiative aimed at strengthening the defence industrial base and increasing production capacity for critical systems. Boeing said the arrangement would support a major increase in supply to meet growing demand from the United States and allied nations.
To support the expansion, Boeing has already invested more than USD 200 million since 2024 in its Huntsville, Alabama facility, including a 35,000 square foot site expansion. The company said the agreement creates the conditions for further investment across its production and supply chain.
“With this framework, we’ll be able to produce and deliver more advanced seekers and enhance our military’s advantage,” said Steve Parker, president and chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
The company said the effort will focus on increasing manufacturing capacity, expanding its workforce and strengthening domestic supply chains. It expects to grow its workforce in Huntsville as production ramps up, while working with US-based suppliers to support what it describes as a more resilient industrial base.
Under the framework, Boeing will work alongside the Department of War and Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement programme, to begin scaling production. The parties are expected to negotiate a formal multi-year production contract later this year. According to Boeing, deliveries of PAC-3 seekers increased by more than 30 per cent in 2025, with further growth anticipated as production capacity expands.
Why the inverted commas?
It is the Department of War.
No it’s not, only an act of congress can change the name and no such act has been passed.
Seems like PAC 3 is becoming increasingly unreliable with reports from the gulf that they are firing 3 instead of 2 missiles at each Iranian target. It seems that the Russians have increasingly been able to figure out ways to get around it and they are sharing that info with Iran.
SAMP/T appears to still be performing well, there are less systems in the field engaging Russia so it won’t have as much data as it has in PAC3
Shush… Evidently reality is a hard thing for you. Where is the UK Wonder weapon? The rest of the world is waiting
It’s likely that around 2000 PACs 3s have probably been fired off in the gulf over that last month.. at present production rates that is about three and a half years production rate burned in a month…. Which is probable about 50% of the PAC 3 stockpile.
But it’s not just PAC 3s other missiles stocks are probably low with over 1000 JASSM-ERa probability used out of a pre war supply of 2500. They have probably now burnt close to 1000 tomahawks which is probably 25-30% of the stockpile.
China will be keeping its eye on these.. who knows if China will wait on its own buildup or if it has a line on how far it will let the US burn its own reserves.. its fair to say china now has a lot more ballistic missiles than there are PAC3 missiles
Does that make the amphibious problem China faces any easier to solve? Taiwan is just as difficult to invade without new technological advances as it was in 1944 when the U.S. decided an invasion wasn’t worth the effort/losses. People overplay this. China “could” blockade, bombard Taiwan, but an invasion is a very unlikely scenario. China is unlikely to try, esp. Xi doesn’t trust his military leaders.
There are a number of ways.. what people forget is that will is very very important and Taiwan is a bit odd in regards to will, with less than 50% of the population wanting full sovereign independence.. essentially the majority sea themselves as Chinese, it’s just about 88% don’t like the CCP with about 10-12% liking the CCP… that’s not a country that will fight to the very end..
So how to crush that will..
1) the blockage approach, Taiwan is uniquely at risk from blockage, it imports 70% of its food calories and 97% of its energy.. the suffering a blockage of Taiwan would be immense… and china has the numbers of platforms to blocked… when you look at vessels capable of carrying out a blockade you are looking at around 700-750… Taiwan has 7 major ports and around 20 minor harbours for smaller craft…
2) land bombardment.. tiawan is within range of modern land based artillery systems.. china has the PCL-191 artillery systems in the hundreds each throwing a volley of 8 accurate cheap as chips rockets 350kms or 2 tactical ballistic missiles.. that’s before china starts wheeling out its 3000+ ballistic missile forces
3) air dominance china has about 2100 fixed wing fighters (400 5th generation, 500 4.5 generation and the rest 4th generation) the ROC have just over 200 fourth generation fighters).. on top of that china has 200 heavy bombers.
So before china sets foot on Taiwan it becomes strategically isolated cedes total control to the sea and air to china ams suffera a constant sustained bombardment from a nation that’s has more military industrial capacity to produce long range weapons than Donald trump can have in a wet dream.
Finally crossing the strait.. it’s estimated with its duel role RORO china has a first day wave capability of about 60,000 troops.