The Pentagon has signed a framework agreement worth over $3 billion with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to speed up production of components for Patriot and THAAD interceptors. The move comes as U.S. stockpiles have been heavily depleted by conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
The deal, announced by the Pentagon and Northrop Grumman on Monday, follows a Lockheed Martin contract disclosed last week with a potential value of up to $58.6 billion for the production of Patriot interceptors. Reuters reported that the new framework is intended to accelerate manufacturing of parts for both air-defense systems.
In a statement, the Pentagon said the agreement should triple Patriot production and quadruple THAAD system production in the U.S. It establishes a second source for PAC-3 solid rocket motors and expands production of ignition safety devices.
Stockpiles under strain
U.S. inventories of these weapons have become a source of concern. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based think tank, recently estimated that the U.S. Army has fewer than 1,000 Patriot interceptors and fewer than 250 THAAD interceptors. Both systems are central to American air defense and have been used intensively in the Middle East.
The pressure on stocks comes from more than just combat consumption. Washington has delivered large quantities of arms to allies, while simultaneously using ammunition in operations against Iran. That combination has raised questions about the state of U.S. air-defense and precision-strike stockpiles, according to Reuters.
Pressure on contractors
Pentagon negotiators have been pressing manufacturers to move faster. Earlier this year, the Department of Defense signed preliminary production agreements aimed at increasing missile output. The latest framework deal is another step in that effort.
The push extends beyond Patriot and THAAD. The U.S. has also concluded a similar framework agreement with RTX, the parent company of Raytheon, to increase Tomahawk cruise missile production. Under that arrangement, output is expected to rise from roughly 60 missiles per year in the United States to a target of 1,000 missiles per year.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Naeblys / Shutterstock
