Lockheed Martin Unveils 'Affordable' Patriot Missile to Solve Production Crisis, Halves Price, Targets 2028 Test

U.S. aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced on July 20, Eastern Time, that it will launch a new low-cost version of the Patriot missile. The Patriot missile is the primary air defense system used by the U.S. military to intercept incoming missiles and aircraft.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the main reason for launching this new version is the dwindling global inventory of high-end interceptors. Lockheed Martin stated that the new design will not only accelerate manufacturing speed but will also be priced at less than half of the current best-selling Patriot missile. Recent U.S. Army budget documents show that the current interceptor costs over $4 million per unit.

Lockheed Martin emphasized that the new design can counter multiple threats, including cruise missiles, short-range, and medium-range ballistic missiles, but will not replace the higher-end Patriot missiles. The current high-end models have the capability to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, which Russia has used in the Ukraine conflict.

Lockheed Martin and Raytheon (RTX) jointly manufacture the Patriot missile system, and both companies have committed to meeting White House requests to increase production of certain high-tech missiles by three to four times over the next few years. Senior U.S. military officials have stated that, in addition to high-end systems, there is an urgent need for mid-to-low-cost air defense solutions that can be delivered in months rather than years.

Brent Ingraham, a U.S. Army procurement official, recently stated at an industry event that the current interceptor “was not originally designed with manufacturability in mind,” as many components are handcrafted and assembled.

Lockheed Martin said it plans to invite European defense companies to help supply components, including critical parts such as rocket engines and guidance systems. Tim Cahill, head of Lockheed Martin’s missile business, said on July 20 at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK: “Our goal is to produce in Europe.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he is considering authorizing Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles domestically. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Turkey, he said: “We will give them the right to produce Patriot missiles, and we will teach them how. I think they can produce them quite quickly.”

President Zelenskyy has long requested more Patriot missiles and has recently pushed more aggressively for production licenses so Ukraine can manufacture them domestically. Lockheed Martin emphasized that the European production plan is separate from the discussions about authorizing production in Ukraine.

Currently, Boeing’s factory near Huntsville, Alabama, is the sole source for the interceptor’s guidance systems. The specific timeline for Lockheed Martin and its suppliers to develop the new missile remains unclear, but the company expects to begin flight testing in 2028.