The U.S. Department of State has approved Germany’s planned acquisition of 600 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles from Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed’s PAC-3 missile portfolio addresses a wide range of threats using direct body-to-body contact, which delivers exponentially more kinetic energy to achieve greater fragmentation. PAC-3 MSE builds on the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative and improves lethality by incorporating a two-pulse solid rocket motor, increasing altitude and range performance. It is compatible with the THAAD Weapon System, the U.S. Army’s IBCS plug-and-fight network and F-35 fighter jets.
According to a notification from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the proposed foreign military sale will also include the delivery of non-major defense equipment, including new equipment training, spare and repair parts, and logistics support services.
The planned sale aligns with the U.S. government’s foreign policy and national security agenda and the German government’s goal of enhancing its national and territorial defense capabilities.
As part of Germany’s national security strategy, the European nation donated three Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine after Russian forces invaded the country in 2022.