What happened
Lockheed Martin has reported a significant reduction in production time for Patriot missile parts, thanks to a new partnership with General Motors. The first batch of parts was delivered in just 22 days, a notable improvement from the typical production time of months to years.
The partnership is part of a broader effort to increase production of interceptor missiles, which has been a challenge due to the complex production process. The production of PAC-3 interceptor missiles involves 15 locations across 11 states and 13,000 suppliers.
General Motors' contribution to the production process has been praised by Lockheed Martin, with the company's president noting that the 22-day turnaround is an example of the successful merging of commercial manufacturing with defense supply chain and production practices.
Despite the progress, the US Patriot interceptor stockpiles remain at critically low levels, having been depleted by the war with Iran. The increased production output is expected to take several years to materialize, which has been a concern for both Washington and Kyiv.
