Lockheed Martin has delivered its first shipment of Patriot Advanced Capability–3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) weapons to Bahrain.
The order is part of a $2.5 billion deal to deliver 60 PAC-3 MSEs and 36 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missiles to Manama.
The missiles will bolster Bahrain’s air and missile defense capabilities to defend the region against tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft.
“PAC-3 MSE will help Bahrain deter evolving regional threats and defend its national integrity,” said PAC-3 Programs Vice President Brenda Davidson.
PAC-3’s Capabilities
Utilizing Lockheed Martin’s Hit-to-Kill technology, the PAC-3 MSE delivers exponentially more kinetic energy using direct contact.
Its two-pulse solid rocket motor gives it a maximum altitude of 118,000 feet (35,966 meters) and target range of 75 miles (120 kilometers). This makes the PAC-3 MSE more agile than its counterparts and extends its range by up to 50 percent.
Its impact-fuze detonation mechanism, active radar homing, and high-explosive fragmentation warhead round out its specifications.
A total of 15 countries use the missiles as major long-range defense measures, including Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.