Lockheed Martin awarded U.S. Navy contract to integrate PAC-3 MSE missile into Aegis combat system for the first time

Bethesda, Md., April 21, 2026 — The U.S. government has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to develop, integrate and test the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) within the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Combat System.

The move would add the Navy to the roster of PAC-3 MSE users that already includes the U.S. Army and 16 partner nations, with the goal of strengthening integrated air and missile defense at sea.

The award is described as a multi-million contract intended to continue munitions acceleration efforts and deliver a record number of PAC-3 MSE interceptors in 2026. It builds on a framework agreement Lockheed Martin signed with the U.S. Department of War to rapidly accelerate production and delivery of PAC-3 MSE in support of the Arsenal of Freedom.

Lockheed Martin said that, before receiving government funding, it made internal investments aligned with Department of War priorities to integrate the interceptor with Aegis and the MK41 Vertical Launching System.

The company added that successful technology demonstrations have provided a head start on delivering the capability to the Navy and boosting maritime defense.

PAC-3 MSE features hit-to-kill technology designed to deliver more kinetic energy on target than blast-fragmentation mechanisms and is described as combat proven against ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as hypersonic and airborne threats.

Aegis is presented as a mature, multi-mission combat system with 50 years of proven capability, designed to adapt to evolving integrated air and missile defense threats by rapidly incorporating advanced capabilities and updates through modern software development processes, including microservices and containerization.