Story perspectives

Lockheed Unveils Half-Price Patriot ACE Missile, 2028 Rollout

7/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

Lockheed Martin announced the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector (ACE) to cut Patriot interceptor prices by more than half.
ACE production is scheduled for 2028 after its debut at the Farnborough Airshow.
The missile will cost under $2 million, compared with roughly $4 million for current PAC-3 MSE interceptors.
ACE will use existing Patriot launchers to engage air-breathing threats, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles, but not drones.

History

Historical Context

Renamed from SAM-D in 1976 and fielded in 1984, the Patriot proved its ballistic-missile role in the 1991 Gulf War, though post-war analysis found intercept rates as low as 9 %. Continuous upgrades—PAC-1 (1988), PAC-2 (1990), PAC-3 in 1997 and the 2015 MSE version—culminated in Lockheed Martin’s 2024 Adapted Capability Effector, which retrofits launchers to cut interceptor costs by about 50 %.

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Story summary

Lockheed Martin announced the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector (ACE) to cut Patriot interceptor prices by more than half.
ACE production is scheduled for 2028 after its debut at the Farnborough Airshow.
The missile will cost under $2 million, compared with roughly $4 million for current PAC-3 MSE interceptors.
ACE will use existing Patriot launchers to engage air-breathing threats, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles, but not drones.

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