U.S. corporation Lockheed Martin will develop a new, cheaper model of missiles for Patriot air defense systems amid growing demand for means of countering drones. The Financial Times (FT) reported this.

According to the newspaper, the new PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector missiles will be twice as cheap as the PAC-3 MSE missiles currently in service, which are estimated to cost $4 million per unit. In addition, the production time for the new missiles will be shorter.

The company noted that production of the upgraded missiles is planned to be launched jointly with industrial partners from Europe.

FT уточняет, that demand for Patriot systems surged sharply after the outbreak of the armed conflict in Ukraine in 2022, which led to the depletion of global stockpiles of these weapons and increased demand for cheaper alternatives to counter UAVs.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the new missile model may be unveiled at the international airshow in Farnborough, UK, which opens on Monday.