5 days ago
Boeing mulls Patriot seeker upgrades amid soaring demand
Boeing is exploring new technologies and production efficiencies for the Patriot missile seekers it builds, as global demand for the pricey interceptors skyrockets.
Why it matters: Changes in the formula could reduce costs or boost output. But finding the right mix — and not undercutting performance — is tricky.
Driving the news: In an interview at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Alabama, Boeing executive Jim Bryan told Axios ongoing research-and-development efforts include the introduction of "more solid-state components that are, maybe, lower maintenance," plus "smaller packaging."
"The mix of technology in what we have today works very well," he said. "There is some apprehension to mess with a really good recipe."
State of play: Boeing, a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin, has produced more than 5,000 Patriot seekers since 2000.
It hit an all-time high last year, completing more than 500 deliveries.
"The market has been 'how much and how fast,'" Bryan said. "For the Army, we've asked them to give us a target. They say they need infinite now."
Zoom out: Engagements in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, namely the defense of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, have elevated the Patriot profile.
Aviation Week on Aug. 6 reported Lockheed was eyeing a "dramatic rise" in interceptor production.
"People want it because it works," Bryan told me. "That weapon is speaking for itself; that weapon is, essentially, selling itself."
