US signs $4.7B missile production deal amid rising global demand

The Pentagon has finalized a $4.7 billion contract with Lockheed Martin to boost the production of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles. The deal aims to more than triple annual output of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor, the backbone of air defense systems for the US and allied nations. This missile is critical for countering medium- and long-range threats, and its heavy use in Ukraine and the Middle East has strained existing stockpiles. Ukraine has relied on these interceptors to shield energy and