Lockheed Martin has received its first PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) components manufactured by GM Defense. The parts arrived just 22 days after the two companies signed a production contract, showing how commercial manufacturing can be used to add capacity to U.S. missile production.
The contract was signed on August 6, 2026, and the first batch of PAC-3 MSE housing components arrived on August 28. According to Lockheed Martin, components that can traditionally take months or longer to produce were delivered in less than a month.
GM Defense manufactured the components using its casting and machining capabilities. The parts were made to military specifications before being delivered to Lockheed Martin for use in its missile production operations.
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The partnership combines GM Defense’s commercial manufacturing experience with Lockheed Martin’s defense supply chain. The approach gives Lockheed Martin access to additional production capacity while allowing GM Defense to apply its large-scale manufacturing capabilities to defense products.
Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said the 22-day turnaround demonstrates how commercial manufacturing methods can be combined with defense production practices. He said the partnership is intended to help increase capacity and support U.S. defense requirements.
The two companies plan to build on the initial delivery. Their wider cooperation could apply commercial manufacturing methods to other munitions programmes and potentially support future U.S. and allied defense systems.
Stephen duMont, president and CEO of GM Defense, said the company is using its precision manufacturing experience to support the production of important defense systems. GM Defense is part of General Motors and focuses on adapting commercial automotive manufacturing capabilities for defense applications.
PAC-3 MSE is a missile defense system used with the Patriot air and missile defense platform. Its components must meet specific military requirements, making manufacturing quality and consistency important during production.
Lockheed Martin is also working with the U.S. Department of War on commercial-style contracts covering PAC-3 MSE, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system and the Precision Strike Missile. The company says these contracts are intended to help increase production speed and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.
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The company is planning a much larger investment in its munitions manufacturing network. Lockheed Martin plans to spend between $8 billion and $9 billion on new buildings, facility expansions and other production improvements across more than 20 U.S. locations.
Lockheed Martin expects this expansion to increase its munitions production and warehousing space by almost 50%. The additional facilities and manufacturing capacity are intended to support higher production volumes for U.S. forces and allied customers.
The 22-day delivery is an early example of how commercial manufacturing capacity can be brought into a defense supply chain. However, expanding this approach across other programmes will require companies to maintain military standards while increasing production.
The partnership between Lockheed Martin and GM Defense could therefore become part of a wider effort to connect commercial manufacturing with defense production. Its longer-term impact will depend on how successfully these methods can be scaled across additional missile and munitions programmes.
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