Lockheed Martin, Pentagon reach deal to quadruple THAAD missile interceptor production

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Lockheed Martin said Thursday that it signed a framework agreement with the US Defense Department to quadruple the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors from 96 to 400 per year.

It builds on a first-of-its-kind framework agreement signed earlier this month between Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon to accelerate production of PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors, according to a statement released by the company.

"We are committed to further building on the Department of War's vision for advancing acquisition reform with additional framework agreements for the critical munitions needed by the U.S. military and our allies," said Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, referring to the Trump administration's unofficial renaming of the Defense Department.

Taiclet said the agreement "means we will have more interceptors available than ever before to deter our adversaries."